Ex  Htbrtfi 


SEYMOUR  DURST 


When  you  leave,  please  leave  this  book 

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Avery  Architectural  and  Fine  Arts  Library 
Gift  of  Seymour  B.  Durst  Old  York  Library 


A  SHORT 

INTRODUCTION 

T  O 

ENGLISH  GRAMMAR: 

WITH 

CRITICAL  NOTES. 


A   NEW   E  D  I  T  I  O  No 


By  Dr.   L  O  W  T  H  E. 


i^am  ipfum  Latine  loqui,  eft  illud  quidem  in  magna  Iar.de 
ponendum :  led  non  tarn  fua  fponte,  quam  quod  eft  a  pie- 
rifque  neglechim.  Non  enim  tarn  prasclarum  eft  fcire  La- 
Une,  quam  turpe  nefcire  ;  neque  tam  id  mihi  oratoris  boni, 
quam  cms  Rcmani  proprium  videtur.  Cicero. 


W  I  L  M  I  N  G  T  0  N: 

Printed  and  Sold  by  BON  SAL  and  NILES. 
idtjo  fold  at  their  Book-Store,  2?o.  173,  Market-Street) 

 B  ALTIMOR  E.  


i8co# 


AA 


P  R  E  F   A   C  E. 


TH  E  Engliih  Language  hath  been  ranch  cultivated 
during  the  laft  two  hundred  years.  It  hath  been  con- 
fiderably  poiiflied  and  refined  ;  its  bounds  have  been  greatly- 
enlarged  ;  its  energy,  variety,  richnefs,  and  elegance,  have 
been  abundantly  proved  by  nupnberlefs  trials,  in  verfe  and  in 
profe,  upon  all  fubjedls,  and  in  every  kind  of  ftyle  :  but 
whatever  other  improvements  it  may  have  received,  it  hath 
made  no  advances  in  Grammatical  Accuracy.  Hooker  is 
one  of  the  earliest  Writers  of  confiderable  note  within  the 
period  above-mentioned  :  let  his  writings  be  compared  with 
the  belt  of  thofe  of  more  modern  date,  and,  i  believe,  it  will 
be  found,  that  in  correclnefs,  propriety,  and  purity  of  Eng- 
lidi  ftyle,  he  hath  hardly  been  furpafied,  or  even  equalled, 
by  any  of  his  fucceftbrs. 

It  is  now  about  fifty  years  (ince  Doctor  Swift  made  a 
pubHcremonftran.ee,  addreffed  to  the  Earl  of  Oxford,  then 
L^rd  Treafurer,  on  the  imperfect  State  of  our  Language ; 
alledging,  hi  particular,  "  that  in  many  inftances  it  offended 
"  againft  every  part  of  Grammar."  Swift  muft  be  allowed 
to  have  been  a  good  judge  of  this  matter  ;  to  which  he  was 
himfelf  very  attentive,  both  in  his  own  writings,  and  in  his 
remarks  upon  thofe  of  his  friends:  he  is  one  of  the  moft  cor- 
rect, and  perhaps  the  beft  of  our  profe  writers.  Indeed  the 
juftnefs  of  this  complaint,  as  far  as  I  can  find,  hath  never 
been  queftioned;  and  yet  no  effectual  method  hath  hitherto 
been  taken- to  redrefs  the  grievance  which  was  the  obiect 
•  of  it. 

But  let  us  confider,  how,  and  in  what  extent,  we  are  to 
underftand  this  charge  brought  againft  the  Englift  Language: 
for  the  Author  feems  not  to  have  explained  himfelf  with  fuf- 
fccient  clearnefs  and  precifion  on  this  head.    Does  it  mean, 


*r  PREFACE. 

that  the  Englifh  Language,  as  it  is  fpoken  by  the  politeft 
$>ai  t  of  the  nation,  and  as  it  ftands  in  the  writings  of  our  raotl 
approved  authors,  often  offends  againft  every  part  of  Gram- 
mar ?  Thus  far,  I  am  afraid,  the  charge  is  true.  Or  does 
it  further  imply,  that  our  Language  is  in  its  nature  irregular 
and  capricious;  not  hitherto  fubject,  nor  eafdy  reducible, to 
a  fy fern  ©f 'rules  ?  In  this  refpeft,  I  am  perfuaded,  the 
charge  is  wholly  without  foundation. 

ihe  Englifh  Language  is  perhaps  of  all  the  prefent  Eu- 
ropean Languages  by  much  the  moll  fimple  in  its  form  and 
eonftrucYion.  Of  all  the  ancient  Languages  extant,  that  is. 
the  mod  fimple  which  is  undoubtedly  the  moff  ancient :  but 
even  that  Language  itfirlf  does  not  equal  the  Englifh  in  Gin- 
piicity. 

rl  he  words  of  the  Englifh  Language  are  perhaps  fubjedl 
to  fewer  variations,  from  their  original  Form,  than  thofe  of 
any  other.  Its  Subfhmtives  have  but  one  variation  of  Cafe  : 
nor  have  they  any  diftmcYion  of  Gender,  befide  that  which 
Nature  hath  made.  Its  Adjectives  admit  of  no  change  at' 
all,  except  that  which  expreffes  the  degrees  of  comparifon. 
All  the  poffible  variations  of  the  original  form  of  the  Verb 
are  not  above  fix  or  feven  ;  whereas  in  many  Languages  they 
amount  to  feme  hundreds  :  and  almoir.  the  whole  bufmefs  of 
Modes,  Times  and  voices  is  managed  with  great  eafe  by  the 
afliflance  of  eight  or  nine  commodious  little  Verbs,  called 
from  their  ufe,  Auxiliaries.  The  Gonftruc\ion  of  this  Lan- 
guage is  fo  eafy  and  obvious,  that  our  Grammarians  have 
thought  it  hardly  worth  while  to  give  us  any  thing  like  a 
regular  and  fyftematical  Syntax.  The  Englifh  Grammar 
that  hath  been  laft  preiented  to  the  Public,  and  by  the  per- 
ion  beft  qualified  to  have  given  us  a  perfect  one,  comprifes 
the  whole  Syntax  in  ten  lines ;  for  this  reafon  :  "  becaufe 
<fc  cur  Language  has  fo  little  inflection,  that  its  ConftrucYicn 
"  neither  requires  nor  admits  many  rules."  In  truth,  the 
eaiier  any  fubjeel  is  in  its  own  nature,  the  harder  it  is  to 
make  it  more  eafy  by  explanation  ;  and  nothing  is  commonly 
more  unneceffary,  and  at  the  fame  time  more  difficult,  than 
to  give  a  formal  demonflration  of  a  proportion  almoft  ielf- 
e  vide  nr. 

It  doth  not  then  proceed  from  any  peculiar  irregularity  or 
difficulty  of  our  Language,  that  the  general  practice  both  of 


PREFACE.  v 

fpeaking'  and  writing  it,  is  chargeable  with  inaccuracy.  It 
is  not  the  Language,  but  the  Practice,  that  is  in  fault.  The 
Truth  is,  Grammar  is  very  much  neglected  among  us;  and 
it  is  not  the  difficulty  of  the  Language,  but  on  the  contrary 
the  fimpliclty  and  facility  of  it,  that  occafions  this  neglect. 
Were  the  Language  lefs  eafy  and  fioiple,  we  Qiould  find 
ourfelves  under  a  neceffity  of  Mudying  it  with  more  care  and 
attention.  But  as  it  is,  we  take  it  for  granted,  that  we  have 
a  competent  knowledge  and  fkill,  and  are  able  to  acquit  our- 
felves properly,  in  cur  @wn  native  tongue  :  a  faculty  folely 
acquired  by  ufe,  conducted  by  habit,  and  tried  by  the  ear, 
carries  us  on  without  reflection  ;  we  meet  with  no  rubs  or 
difficulties  in  our  way,  or  we  do  not  perceive  them  ;  we  find 
ourfelves  able  to  go  on  without  rules,  and  we  do  not  fa  much 
as  fufpect  that  we  fta-nd  in  need  of  them. 

A  Grammatical  Study  of  our  own  Language  makes  no  part 
of  the  ordinary  method  of  inftruction  which  we  pafs  through 
in  our  childhood  ;  and  it  is  very  feldom  that  we  apply  our- 
felves to  it  afterward.  „  And  yet  the  want  of  it  will  not  be 
effectually  fupplied  by  any  other  advantages  whatfoever. 
Much  practice  in  the  police  world,  and  a  general  acquaint- 
ance with  the  beft  authors,  are  good  helps,  but  alone  will 
hardly  be  fuinctent :  we  have  writers,  who  have  enjoyed 
thefe  advantages  in  their  full  extent,  and  yet  cannot  be  re- 
commended as  models  of  an  accurate  ftyle.  Much  lefs  then 
vn\\  what  is  commonly  called  Learning,  ferve  the  purpofe  ; 
that  is,  a  critical  knowledge  of  ancient  languages,  and  much 
reading  of  ancient  authors :  the  grcateft  Critic  and  moft  able 
Grammarian  of  the  laft  age,  when  he  came  to  apply  his 
Learning  and  his  Criticifm  to  an  Englifli  Author,  was  fre- 
quently at  a  lofs  in  matters  of  ordinary  ufe  and  common  con- 
firmation in  his  own  Vernacular  Idiom* 

But  perhaps  the  Notes  fubjoined  to  the  following  pages, 
will  lurnifh  a  more  convincing  argument,  than  any  thing 
that  can  be  faid  here,  both  of  the  truth  of  the  charge  of  in- 
accuracy brought  againtt  our  Language  as  it  fubfifts  in  prac- 
tice, and  of  the  neceffity  of  invefiigating  the  principles  of  t, 
and  (baying  it  Grammatically,  if  we  would  attain  to  a  due 
degree  of  fkill  in  it.  It  is  with  reafon  expected  of  every  per- 
.Ion  of  a  liberal  education,  and  it  is  indifpenfably  required  of 
every  one  who  undertakes  to  inform  or  entertain  the  Public, 


ti  PREFACE. 

that  he  fliould  be  able  to  exprefs  himfelf  with  propriety  and 
accuracy.  It  will  evidently  appear  from  thefe  Notes,  that 
our  beft  Authors  have  committed  grofs  miftakes  for  want  of 
a  due  knowledge  of  Englifii  Grammar,  or  at  leaft  of  a  proper 
attention  to  the  rules  of  it.  The  examples  there  given,  are 
fuch  as  occurred  in  reading,  without  any  very  curious  or 
methodical  examination  :  and  they  might  eafily  have  been 
much  increafed  in  number  by  any  one,  who  had  leifure  or 
phlegm  enough  to  g©  through  a  regular  courfe  of  reading 
with  this  particular  view.  However,  1  believe  they  may  be 
fufficient  to  anfwer  the  purpofe  intended;  to  evince  the  ne- 
ceifity  of  the  Study  of  Grammar  in  our  own  Language,  and 
to  admonifh  thole  who  fet  up  for  Authors  among  us,  that 
they  would  do  well  to  contider  this  part  of  Learning  as  an 
objedl  not  altogether  beneath  their  regard. 

The  principal  defign  of  a  Grammar  of  any  Language  is  to 
teach  us  to  exprefs  ourfelves  with  propriety  in  that  Language, 
and  to  enable  us  to  judge  of  every  phrafe  and  form  of  con- 
llruction,  whether  it  be  right  or  not.  The  plain  way  of 
doing  this  is,  to  lay  down  rules,  and  to  iliuftrate  them  by 
examples.  But  beiicle  (hewing  what  is  right,  the  matter 
may  be  further  explained  by  pointing  out  what  is  wrong.  I 
will  not  take  upon  me  to  lay,  whether  we  have  any  Gram- 
mar that  fufriciently  inftru&s  us  by  rule  and  example  ;  but 
I  am  fure  we  have  none,  that,  in  the  manner  here  attempt- 
ed, teaches  us  what  is  right,  by  (hewing  what  is  wrong;  tho* 
this  perhaps  may  prove  the  more  ulefui  and  effectual  method 
cf  inftrucYion. 

Be  fide  this  principal  defign  of  Grammar  in  our  own  Lan- 
guage, there  is  a  fecondary  ufe  to  which  it  may  be  applied, 
and  which,  I  think,  is  not  attended  to  as  it  deferves  :  the 
facilitating  of  the  acquisition  of  other  languages,  whether 
ancient  or  modern.  A  good  foundation  in  the  General  Prin- 
ciples of  Grammar,  is  in  the  firft  place  neceflary  for  all  thofe 
•who  are  initiated  in  a  learned  education  ;  and  for  all  others 
likewife,  who  fhall  have  occafion  to  furnifh  themfelves  with 
the  knowledge  of  modern  languages.  Univerfal  Grammar 
cannot  be  taught  abftracledly :  it  muft  be  done  with  refer- 
ence to  fome  language  already  known,  in  which  the  terms 
are  to  be  explained,  and  the  rules  exemplified.  The  learn- 
er is  fuppofed  to  be  unacquainted  with  all  but  his  flaky? 


PREFACE.  vii 

tongue  ;  and  in  what  other,  confidently  with  reafon  and 
common  fenfe,  can  you  go  about  to  explain  it  to  him  ?  — 
When  he  has  a  competent  knowledge  of  the  main  principles 
of  Grammar  in  general  exemplified  in  his  own,  he  then  will 
apply  himfelf  with  great  advantage  to  the  ftudy  of  any  other 
language.  To  enter  at  once  upon  the  Science  of  Grammar, 
and  the  Study  of  a  foreign  language,  is  to  encounter  two 
difficulties  together,  each  of  which  would  be  much  lefTened 
by  being  taken  feparately,  and  in  its  proper  order.  Forthefe 
plain  reafons,  a  competent  Grammatical  knowledge  of  our 
own  Language,  is  the  true  foundation  upon  which  all  Lite- 
rature, properly  lb  c?Uee!,  ought  to  be  raifed*  If  this  me- 
thod were  adopted  in  our  Schools  ;  if  children  were  firfl 
taught  the  common  principles  of  Grammar  by  fome  fhort 
and  clear  Syftem  of  EnglilTi  Grammar,  which  happily  by  its 
fimpiicity  and  facility  is  perhaps  fitter  than  any  other  lan- 
guage for  fuch  a  purpofe,  they  would  have  fome  notion  of 
what  they  were  going  about,  when  they  fhould  enter  into 
the  Latin  Grammar  ;  and  would  hardly  be  engaged  fo  many 
years,  as  they  now  are,  in  that  moil  irkfome  and  difficult 
part  of  literature,  with  fo  much  labour  of  the  memory,  and 
with  lb  little  affiftaace  of  the  underflanding. 

A  defign  fomewhat  of  this  kind  gave  occafion  to  the  fol- 
lowing little  fyileR],  intended  merely  for  a  private  and  do* 
meflic  ufe.  The  chief  end  of  it  was  to  explain  the  general 
principles  of  Grammar  as  clearly  and  intelligibly  as  poffible* 
In  the  definitions  therefore  eafinefs  and  perfpicuity  have  been 
fometimes  preferred  to  logical  exadlnefs.  The  common  di- 
vifions  have  been  complied  with,  as  far  as  reafon  and  truth 
would  permit.  The  known  and  received  terms  have  been 
retained,  except  in  one  or  two  inftances,  where  others  offer- 
ed themfelves,  which  feemed  much  more  fignificant.  All 
difquifitions,  which  appeared  to  have  more  of  fubtilty  than 
cf  ufefulnefs  in  them,  have  been  avoided.  In  a  word,  it 
was  calculated  for  the  ufe  of  the  Learner,  even  of  the  loweft 
clafs.  Thofe  who  would  enter  more  deeply  into  this  fubject 
will  find  it  fully  and  accurately  handled,  with  the  greateft 
acutenefs  ef  invefiigation,  perfpicuity  of  explication,  and  ele- 
gance of  method,  in  a  Treatife  intitled,  Hermes,  by  James 
Harris,  Efq.  the  mod  beautiful  and  perfect  example  of  Anal* 
jus  that  has  been  exhibited  unce  the  days  oiArifiotk* 


Mill 


V   11   E    F   A   C  E. 


The  Author  is  greatly  obliged  to  feveral  Learned  Gpntle 
inen,  who  have  favoured  him  with  their  Remarks  upon  the 
firft  Edition  ;  which  was  indeed  principally  defigned  to  pro- 
cure their  afliftance,  and  to  try  the  judgment  of  the  public, 
lie  hath  endeavoured  to  weigh  their  observations  without 
prejudice  or  partiality?  and  to  make  the  beft  ufe  of  the  lights 
which  t;hey  have  afforded  him.  He  hath  been  enabled  to 
correel  feveral  miftakes,  and  encouraged  carefully  to  revile 
the  whole,  and  to  give  it  all  the  improvement  which  his  pre- 
fent  materials  can  furnilh.  He  hopes  for  the  continuance  of 
their  favour,  as  he  is  fenfible,  there  will  ftill  be  abundant  oc- 
cafion  for  it.  A  Syflem  of  this  kind,  arifing  from  the  col- 
kcYion  and  arrangement  of  a  multitude  of  minute  particulars, 
which  often  elude  the  rnpft  careful  fearch,  and  fometimcs 
efcape  obfervation  when  they  are  mofl  obvious,  mud  always 
ftand  in  need  of  improvement.  It  is  indeed  the  necefiary 
condition  of  every  work  of  human  art  or  fcience,  fmall  as 
well  as  great,  to  advance  towards  perfection  by  flow  degrees ; 
by  an  approximation  which,  though  it  flill  may  carry  it  for- 
ward, yet  will  certainly  sever  bring  it  to  the  point  to  which 
it  tends. 


A  SHORT 


A  SHORT 


INTRODUCTION 

T  0 

ENGLISH  GRAM  MAR* 


GRAM  M  A  R. 

jt^i  R  A  M  M  A  R  is  the  Art  of  rightly  exprefllng  our 
VJ  Thoughts  by  Words. 

Grammar  in  genera],  or  Univerfal  Grammar,  explains  the 
Principles  which  are  common  to  ail  languages. 

1  he  Grammar  of  any  particular  Language,  as  the  Englifn 
Grammar,  applies  thofe  common  principles  to  that  particular 
language,  according  to  the  eftablilhed  ulage  and  cuitom 
of  it. 

Grammar  treats*  of  Sentences,  and  of  the  feveral  parts  of 
which  they  are  compounded. 

Sentences  CQiifift  of  Words ;  Words,  of  one  or  more 
Syllables  ;  Syllables,  of  one  or  more  Letters. 

So  that  Letters,  Syllables,  Words,  and  Sentences,  make 
up  the  whole  fubjecT;  of  Grammar. 


LETTERS 


xo 


A  SHORT  INTRODUCTION 


LETTERS. 

AL  E  T  T  E  R  is  the  firft  Principle,  or  at  leaft  part 
of  a  Word. 

Articulate  Sound  is  the  found  of  the  human  voice, 
formed  by  the  organs  of  fpeech. 

A  Vowel  is  a  fnnple  articulate  found,  formed  by  the  im- 
pulfe  of  the  voice,  and  by  the  opening  only  of  the  mouth 
in  a  particular  manner. 

A  Gonfonant  cannot  be  perfectly  founded  by  itfelf ;  but 
joined  with  a  vowel  forms  a  compound  articulate  found,  by 
a  particular  motion  or  contact  of  the  parts  of  the  mouth. 

A  Diphthong,  or  compound  vowel,  is  the  union  of  two 
or  more  vowels  pronounced  by  a  fmgle  impulfe  of  the  voice. 

In  Englifti  there  are  twenty-fix  Letters  : 

A,  a;  B,  b;  C,  c  ;  D,  d";  E,  e  ;  F,  f ;  G,  g  ;  K,  h  ; 
I,  i  ;  J,  j  ;  K,  k ;  L,  1  ;  M,  m  ;  N,  n  ;  O,  o ;  P,  p  ; 
Q^q ;  R,  r  ;  S,  s  ;  T,  t ;  U,  u  ;  V,  v  ;  W,  w ;  X,  x ; 
Y,  y  ;  Z,  z. 

J  j,  and  V  v,  are  confonants  ;  the  former  having  the 
found  of  the  foft  g  ;  and  the  latter  that  of  a  coarfer/*;  they 
are  therefore  intirely  different  from  the  vowels  i  and  u,  and 
diftinct  letters  ©f  themfelves ;  they  ought  alfo  to  be  difiin- 
guiflied  from  them,  each  by  a  peculiar  Name  ;  the  former 
may  be  called  jaj  and  the  latter  vee*  - 

The  names  then  of  the  twenty-fix  letcers  wilt  be  as  fol- 
lows :  a,  bee,  cee,  de,  e,  efi  gee,  ditch,  i,  ja,  ka,  el, 
em,  en,  o,  pee,  cue,  ar,  efs,  t$e,  u,  wee,  doubh  u,  oc, 
y,  zad. 

Six  of  the  letters  are  vowels,  and  may  be  founded  by 
themfelves  ;  a,  e,  i,  o,  u,  y. 

E  is  generally  filent  at  the  end  of  a  word  ;  but  it  has  its 
effect  in  lengthening  the  preceding  vowel ;  as  bid,  bide  : 
and  fometimes  likewife  in  the  middle  of  a  word ;  as,  un- 
grateful, retirement*  Sometimes  it  has  no  other  effect 
than  that  of  foftening  a  preceding  g  :  as,  lodge,  judge, 
judgement;  for  which  purpofe,  it  is  quite  neceflfary  in  thefe 
and  the  like  words  : 


TO  ENGLISH  GRAMMAR* 


11 


T  is  in  found  wholly  the  fame  with  i  ;  and  is  written 
inftead  of  it  at  the  end  of  words  ;  or  before  i,  as,  flying) 
denying  :  it  is  retained  likewife  in  fome  words  derived  from 
the  Greek  ;  and  it  is  always  a  vowel,  [i] 

W  is  either  a  vowel  or  a  diphthong  :  its  proper  found  is 
the  fame  as  the  Italian  u,  the  French  ow,  or  the  Englifh  oo  : 
after  o,  it  is  fometimes  not  founded  at  all,  fometimes  like  a 
fingle  ti* 

The  reft  of  the  letters  are  confonants  ;  which  cannot  be 
founded  alone  :  fome  not  at  all,  and  thefe  are  called  Mutes, 
bi  c,  d,  g,  p)  qy  t :  others  very  imperfedlly,  making  a 
kind  of  obfcure  found,  and  thefe  are  called  Semi-vowels,  or 
Half-vowels,  /,  m,  n,  r,  J]  s  ;  the  firft  four  of  which  are 
alfo  diftinguifhed  by  the  name  of  Liquids. 

The  Mutes  and  the  Semi-vowels  are  diftinguifhed  by  their 
names  in  the  Alphabet,  thofe  of  the  former  all  beginning 
with  a  confonant  ;  bee,  ceey  &c.  thofe  of  the  latter  all  be- 
ginning with  a  vowel,  ej\  eJ,  &c» 

X  is  a  double  confonant,  compounded  of  c,  or  ky  and  j. 

Z  feems  not  to  be  a  double  confonant  in  Englifh,  as  it 
is  commonly  iuppofed  :  it  has  the  fame  relation  to  j,  as  v 
has  to  /,  being  a  thicker  and  coarfer  exprefiion  of  it. 

H  is  only  aw  Afpiration,  or  Breathing  :  and  fometimes  at 
the  beginning  of  a  word,  is  not  founded  at  all;  as,  an  bour9 
an  bonejl  man. 

\ 

[i]  The  fame  found  which  we  exprefs  by  the  initial y, 
;  our  Saxon  Anceftors  in  many  infrances  expreiTed  by  the  vow- 
jel  e  ;  as  eower,  your  ;  and  by  the  vowel  i;  as  iwy  yew  ; 
ieng,  young.    In  the  word  yew  the  initial  y  has  precifely 
|the  fame  found  with  i  in  the  words  view*  lieu,  adieu  :  the 
\i  is  acknowledged  to  be  a  Vowel  in  thefe  latter  ;  how  then 
can  the  j,  which  has  the  very  fame  found,  poffibly  be  a  Con* 
ifonant  in  the  former  ?    Its  initial  found  is  generally  like 
that  of  i  in  Jhlre>  or  e  e  nearly  :  it  is  formed  by  the  open- 
ing of  the  mouth,  without  any  motion  or  contad  of  the 
:>arts  :  in  a  word,  it  has  every  property  of  si  Vowel,  and  not 
wie  of  a  Confonanta 


12 


A   SHORT  INTRODUCTION 


C  is  pronounced  like  A,  before  a,  o,  u  ;  and  foft,  like  /. 
before  e,  i,  y  :  in  like  manner  g  is  pronounced  always  bard 
'before  <2,  o,  w  ;  fometimes  hard  and  fomermes  foft  before 
f  and  y  ;  and  for  the  mod  part  loft  before  e. 

The  Englifh  Alphabet,  like  moll  others,  is  both  deficient 
and  redundant ;  in  fome  cafes,  the  fame  letters  expreffing 
cine  rent  founds,  and  different  letters  exprelling  the  fame 
founds* 


SYLLABLES. 


A  SYLLABLE  is  a  found  either  Cmple  or  com* 
jfjL  pounded,  pronounced  by  a  fingle  impulfe  of  the  voice, 
and  conftituting  a  word,  or  part  of  a  word. 

Spelling  is  the  art  of  reading  by  naming  the  letters  fmgly, 
and  rightly  dividing  words  into  their  fyllables.  Or,  in  writ- 
ing, it  is  the  expreffing  of  a  word  by  its  proper  letrers. 

In  Spelling,  a  fy liable  in  the  beginning  of  middle  of  a 
word  ends  in  a  vowel,  unlefs  it  be  followed  by  x  ;  or  by  two 
or  more  confonants ;  thefe  are  for  the  moft  part  to  be  fepa- 
rated,  and  at  lead  one  of  them  always  belongs  to  the  pre- 
ceding fyllable,  when  the  vowel  of  that  fy  liable  is  pronounc- 
ed thort.  Particles  in  compofition,  though  followed  by  a 
vowel,  generally  remain  undivided  in  fpelling.  A  Mute 
generally  unites  with  a  liquid  following ;  and  a  liquid,  or  a 
mute,  generally  feparates  from  a  mute  following  :  le  and  re 
are  never  feparated  from  a  preceding  mute.  Examples :  j 
ex-e  cra-ble9  ex  af-pe-rate^  difitin-guifi,  dif'trefs-ful,  czr~\ 
Vef-pon*dtfig. 

But  the  beft  and  eaneft  rule  for  dividing  the  fyllables  in 
fpelling,  is  to  divide  them  as  they  are  naturally  divided  in 
a  right  pronunciation ;  without  regard  to  the  derivation  of 
Tvcrcls,  or  the  poflible  combination  of  confonants  at  the  be*, 
ginning  of  a  fyllable. 


WORDS* 


TO  ENGLISH  GRAMMAR* 


W     O     R     D  S. 

WORDS  are  articulate  founds,  lifed  by  camraou 
confer.t,  as  Tigris  of  ideas,  or  notions. 
There  are  in  Englifh  nine  Sorts  of  Words,  or  as  they 
are  commonly  called,  Parts  of  Speech. 

1.  The  ARTICLE,  prefixed  to  fubfhntives,  when  they 
are  common  names  of  things,  to  point  them  out,  and  to  (hew 
feovv  far  their  fjgnification  extends, 

2.  The  SUBSTANTIVE,  or  NOUN,  being  the  name 
of  any  thing  conceived  to  fubfift,  or  of  which  we  have  any 
notion- 

3.  The  PRONOUN,  (landing  mftead  of  the  noun. 

4.  The  ADJECTIVE,  added  to  the  noun  to  exprefs  the 
quality  of  it. 

5.  The  VERB,  or  Word  by  way  of  eminence,  fignify- 
ing  to  be,  to  do,  or  to  naffer. 

6.  The  ADVERB,  added  to  veibs,  and  alfo  to  adjec- 
tives a-nd  other  adverbs,  to  exprefs  fome  circumftance  belong- 
ing to  them. 

7.  The  PREPOSITION,  put  before  souns  and  pronouns 
chiefly,  to  connect  them  with  other  words,  and  to  fliew  their 
relation  to  thofe  words. 

8.  The  CONJUNCTION,  conne&ing  fentences  toge- 
ther. 

9.  The  INTERJECTION,  thrown  in  to  exprefs  the  af- 
fection of  the  fpeaker,  though  unneeefTary  with  refpeft  to 
the  conftrudlion  of  the  fenteiice. 


EXAMPLE, 

1272512         47  28 
The  power  of  fpeech  is  a  faculty  peculiar  to  man,  and 


.5       5        7    3    7    3  4  271 

was  beftowed  on  him  by  his  beueficient  Creator  for  the 
B 


14  A  SHORT  INTRODUCTION 

486  4  289665 

greateft  and  moft  excellent  ufes;  bat  alas!  how  often  do 

3      5      3  7    14     7  2 
we  pervert  it  to  the  worft  of  purpofes  ? 

In  the  foregoing  fentence,  the  words  the,  a,  are  Articles  ; 
power,  fpeeeb,  faculty ,  man,  creator,  ufes, purpofes,  are 
Subftantives :  him,  bis,  me,  it,  are  Pronouns ;  peculiar, 
beneficent,  great  eft,  excellent,  wcrfl,  are  Adjectives;  is, 
•was  befowed,  do  pervert,  are  Verbs:  mojl,  bow,  often, 
are  Adverbs  ;  of  to,  on,  by,  for,  are  Piepofitions  ;  and, 
but,  are  Conjunctions  ;  and  alas  is  an  Interjection. 

Hie  Subftanti ves  power,  fpeeeb,  faculty,  and  the  reft, 
are  General,  or  Common,  Nmncs  of  things ;  whereof  there 
are  many  forts  belonging  to  the  fame  kind,  or  many  indivi- 
duals belonging  to  the  lame  fort,  as  there  are  many  forts  of 
power,  many  forts  of  fpeech,  many  forts  of  faculty,  many 
individuals  of  that  fort  of  animal  called  man;  and  fo  on. 
Thefe  general  or  common  names  are  here  applied  in  a  more 
or  left  extenfive  figni6cation,  according  as  they  are  ufed 
without  either,  or  with  the  one,  or  with  the  other,  of  the 
two  articles  a  and  the.  Hie  words  fpeeeb,  man,  beirg 
accompanied  with  no  article,  are  taken  in  their  largeft  ex- 
tent, and  fignify  all  of  the  kind  or  fort,  all  forts  of  fpeech, 
and  all  men.  The  word  faculty,  with  the  article  a  before 
it,  is  ufed  in  a  more  confined  fjgnif cation,  for  fome  one 
cut  of  many  of  that  kind  ;  for  it  is  here  implied,  that  there 
are  other  faculties  peculiar  to  man  befide  fpeech.  The  words 
power,  creator,  ufes,  purpofes,  with  the  article  the  before 
them  (for  bis  Creator  is  the  fame  as  the  Creator  of  him ) 
are  ufed  in  the  moft  confined  fignification  for  the  things  here 
mentioned  and  afcertained  :  the  pswer  is  not  any  one  inter- 
mediate power  out  of  many  forts,  but  that  particular  fort  of 
power  here  fpecifte.d,  namely,  the  power  vf  fpeech  ;  the  Cre- 
ator is  the  one  great  Creator  of  man,  and  of  dl  things ;  the 
ufes,  and  tbe  purpofes,  are  particular  ufes  and  purpofes  ; 
the  former  are  explained  to  be  thofe  in  particular,  that  are 
the  greateft  and  moft  excellent  ;  fuch  for  inftance,  as  the 
glory  of  God,  and  the  common  benefit  of  mankind;  the  lat- 
ter to  be  the  worft,  as  lying,  flandering,  blafpheming,  and 
the  like. 


TO  ENGLISH   GRAMMAR.  I£ 

The  Pronouns  Z?im,  his,  we,  it,  ftand  inftead  of  Tome  of 
the  nouns,  or  fubftantives,  going  before  them  ;  as  him  iup- 
pliesthe  place  of  man  ;  his  of  man's  ;  we  of  men  (implied 
in  the  general  name  wan,  including  all  men,  of  which  num- 
ber is  the  speaker  ;  it  of  the  power,  before  mentioned.  If 
inftead  ot  thefe  pronouns,  the  nouns  for  which  they  ftand  had 
been  ufed,  the  tenfe  would  have  been  the.  fame,  but  the  fre- 
quent repetition  of  the  fame  words  would  have  been  difa- 
greeable  and  tedious  :  as,  the  power  of  fpeech,  peculiar  to 
man,  beftowed  on  man,  by  mans  Creator,  &c. 

The  Adjectives  peculia  r,  beneficent,  great  eft,  excellent) 
worft,  are  added  to  their  feveral  fubftantives,  to  denote  the 
character  and  quality  of  each. 

The  Verbs  is,  was  beftowed,  do  pervert,  fignify  feve- 
rally,  being,  fuffermg,  and  doing:  By  the  Unlit  is  implied, 
that  there  is  fuch  a  tiling  as  the  power  of  fpeech,  and  it  is 
affirmed  to  be  of  fuch  a  kind  ;  namely,  a  faculty  peculiar  to 
man :  by  the  fecond  it  is  fa  id- to  have  been  acted  upon,  or  to 
have  had  fomething  done  to  it ;  namely,  to  have  been  be- 
flowed  on  man:  by  the  lafl,  we  are  laid  to  act  upon  it,  or 
to  do  fomething  to  it,  namely,  to  pervert  it. 

The  Adverbs  moft,  often,  are  added  to  the  adjective  ex* 
eellent,  and  to  the  verb  pervert,  to  fhew  the  circumftance 
belonging  to  them  ;  namely,  that  of  the  higheft  degree  to 
the  former,  and  that  of  frequency  to  the  latter :  concerning 
the  degree  of  which  frequency,  alfo  a  queftion  is  made  br 
the  adverb  IfowS  added  to  the  adverb  often. 

The  Prepofitions  of,  to,  on,  by,  for ',  placed  before  the 
fubftantives  and  pronounr,,  fpeech,  man,  him,  &c.  connect 
them  with  other  words,  fubftantives,  adjectives,  and  verbs, 
as  power,  peculiar,  beftcwed,  t?c.  and  ihew  the  relation 
which  they  have  to  thofe  words  ;  as  the  relation  of  fubjecr, 
object,  agent,  end  ;  for  denoting  the  end,  by  the  agent,  an, 
the  object ;  to  and  of  denote  poiTeffion,  or  the  belonging  of 
one  thing  to  another. 

The  Conjunctions  and,  and  but,  connect  the  three  parts; 
of  the  fentence  together ;  the  firft  more  clofely  both  with 
regard- to  the  fentence  and  the  fenfe;  the  fectwid  connecting 
the  parts  of  the  fentenee,  thoagh  lefs  ftrictly,  and  at  th© 
fame  time  expreifmg  anoppofition  in  the  fenfe. 


A  SHORT  INTRODUCTION 


The  ImerjecYion  alas  !  exprefies  the  concern  and  regret 
of  the  fpeaker  ;  and  though  thrown  in  with  propriety,  yet 
might  have  been  omitted  without  injuring  the  conitrudtioii  of 
the  fentence,  or  deftroying  the  fenle. 


ARTICLE. 


TH  E  Article  is  a  word  prefixed  to  fubftantives,  to  point 
them  out,  and  to  {hew  how  far  their  fignification  ex- 
tends. 

In  Englifh  there*  are  but  two  articles,  j,  and  the  ;  a  be- 
comes an  before  a  vowel,  y  and  nv  [2]  excepted,  and  before 
a  filent  b  preceding  a  vowel. 

A  is  ufed  in  a  vague  fenfe  to  point  out  one  fingle  thing 
of  the  kind,  in  other  refpedts  indeterminate:  /Redetermines 
what  particular  thing  is  meaned. 

A  iubftantive  without  any  article  to  limit  it  is  taken  in  its 
wide  ft  fenfe  ;  thus  man  means  all  mankind  j  as, 

11  The  proper  ftudy  of  mankind  is  man."  Pope. 

Where  mankind  and  man  may  change  places  without  mak- 
ing any  alteration  in  the  fenfe.  A  man  means  fome  one  or 
other  of  that  kind,  indefinitely  ;  the  man  means  definitely, 
that  particular  man,  who  is  fpoken  of :  the  former  therefore 
is  called  the  Indefinite,  the  latter  the  definite,  Article-  [3] 


eoooceooeoMKxM 


[2]  The  pronunciation  ofy,  or  w,  as  part  of  a  diphthong 
at  the  beginning  of  a  word,  requires  fuch  an  effort  in  the 
conformation  of  the  parts  of  the  mouth,  as  does  not  eafily 
admit  of  the  article  an  before  them.  In  other  cafes,  the 
article  an  in  a  manner  coalefces  with  the  vowel  which  it 
precedes  :  in  this  the  effort  of  pronunciation  feparates  the 
article,  and  prevents  the  difagreeable  confequence  of  a  fen- 
£ble  hiatus. 

[3]  «  And  I  perfecuted  this  way  unto  the  death."  Atls 
xxii.  4.    The  Apoftle  does  not  mean  any  particular  fort  of 


TO  ENGLISH   GRAMMAR.  l7 

Examnle:  "  Man  ywmvlf  for  fociery,  and  ought  to 
extend  his  good-will  to  all  men:  but  a  man  will  naturally 
enceitain  a  more  particular kindnels  for  the  men  with  Wboht 
he  has  the  mod  frequent  intercourfe,  and  enter  into  a  itiit 
clofer  union  with  the  man  whole  temper  and  difpofition  iuit 
bell  with  his  own." 

It  is  of  the  nature  of  both  the  Articles  to  determine  or 
limit  the  thing  fpoken  of :  a  determines  it  to  be  one  fingte 
thing  of  the  kind,  leaving  it  ftill  uncertain  which  ;  the ■de- 
termines which  it  is,  or  of  many,  which  they  are.    The  firft 


Btxecoaoocoooaa 


death,  but  death  in  general  :  the  Definite  Article  therefore 
is  improperly  ufed.  It  ought  to  be  unto  death>  without 
any  article.    See  alfd  2  Chron.  xxii.  24. 

\«  When  He,  the  Spirit  of  Truth*  is  come,  he  will  guide 
you  into  all  Truth:'  John  xvi.  13.  That  is,  according^ 
to  this  tranflation,  into  all  Truth  whatfoever,  into  Truth  of 
all  kinds  :  very  different  from  the  meaning  of  the  Evange- 
lic, and  from  the  Original,  into  all  the  Truth  ;  that  is,  in- 
to all  -Evangelical  Truth, 

"  Truly  this  was  the  Son  of  God."  Matth.  xxvii.  54^ 
*  and  Mark  xv.  39,  This  Tranflation  fuppofes,  that  the  Ro- 
man  Centurion  had  a  proper  and  adequate  notion  of  the  cha- 
racter of  Jefus/as  the  Son  of  God  in  a  peculiar  and  incom- 
municable fenfe ;  whereas  it  is  probable,  both  from  the  cir- 
cumftances  of  the  Hirtory,  and  from  the  exprefiion  of  the 
Original  (a  Son  of  God,  or,  of  a  God,  not  the  Son)  that  he 
only  meaned  to  acknowledge  him  to  be  an  extraordinary  per- 
fan,  and  more  than  a  mere  man  ;  according  to  his  own  no- 
tion of  Sons  of  Gods  in  the  Pagan  Theology.  This  is  alfo 
more  agreeable  to  St.  Luke's  account  of  the  fame  confeflion 
of  the  Centurion  ;  "  Certainly  this  was  a  righteous  man 
not  the  Juft  One.  The  fame  may  be  obferved  ef  Nebuchad- 
nezzar's words,  Dan.  hi.  25. — "  And  the- form  of  the  fourth 
is  like  the  Son  of  God  it  ought  to  be  exprelTed  by  the 
Indefinite  Article,  like  a  Son  of  God  :  that' is,  like  an  An- 
'  gel  1  according  to  Nebuchadnezzar's  own  account  of  iu  w 


is  a  short  introduction 

therefore  can  onl^  be  joined  to  Subflantives  in  the  Angular 
number  ;  [4]  the  laft  may  alfo  be  joined  to  pluraJs. 

There  is  a  remarkable  exception  to  this  rule,  in  the  ufe  of 
the  adjectives  few  and  many  (the  latter  chiefly  with  the 
word  great  before  it)  which,  tho'  joined  with  plural  Sub- 
ftantives,  yet  admit  of  the  lingular  Article  a:  as,  a  few 
men,  a  great  many  men; 

"  Told  of  a  many  tboufand  warlike  French  r— 
"  A  care-craz'd  mother  of  a  many  children**' 

Shakefpear 


:the  28f.l1  verfe  :  «  BlefTed  be  God,  who  hath  fent  his  Ange!r 
and  delivered  his  fervants."    See  alfo  Luke  xix.  9. 

"  Who  breaks  a  butterfly  upon  a  wheel."  Pope. 

It  ought  to  be  the  wheel ;  ufed  as  an  inftrument  for  the  par* 
ticniar  purpole  of  torturing  criminals  :  as  Shakefpear  ; 

u  Let  them  pull  all  about  mine  ears  ;  prefent  me 
Death  on  the  wheel,  or  at  wild  horfes  heels." 

"  God  Almighty  hath  given  reafon  to  a  man  to  be  a  light 
unto  him-"  Hobbs,  Elements  of  Law,  Part  I.  Ch.  v.  12. 
It  fhould  rather  be,  "  to  man,"  in  general. 

Thefe  remarks  may  ferve  to  (hew  the  great  importance 
of  the  proper  ufe  of  the  Article  ;  the  near  affinity  there  is 
between  the  Greek  Article,  and  the  Englilli  Definite  Arti- 
cle ;  and  the  excellence  of  the  %nglifti  Language  in  this  re- 
ipeft,  which  by  means  of  its  two  Articles,  does  moft  pre- 
cifely  detetmine  tke  extent  of  fignification  of  Common 
Names  :  whereas  the  Greek  has  only  one  Article,  and  it  has 
puzzled  all  the  Grammarians  to  reduce  the  ufe  of  that  to 
any  clear  and  certain  rules. 

[4]  "  A  good  character  mould  not  be  refted  in  as  an  end, 
but  employed  as  a  means  of  doing  ftill  farther  good."  At- 
terbury's  Sermons,  ii.  3.  Ought  it  not  to  be  a  mean?  "  I 
have  read  an  author  of  this  tafte,  that  compares  a  raggtd 
coin  to  a  tattered  qoIqhu%\   Addifon  on  Medals.   Dial,  u 


TO  ENCLISH  GRAMMAR.  1$ 

The  reafon  of  it  is  manifeft  from  the  effect  which  the  Arti- 
cle has  in  thefe  phrafes  :  it  means  a  fmall  or  great  number 
collectively  taken,  and  therefore  gives  the  idea  of  a  Whole, 
that  is,  of  Unity.  [5] 

Thus  likewife  a  hundred,  a  thoufand,  is  one  whole  num- 
ber, an  aggregate  of  many  collectively  taken  ;  and  there- 
fore ftill  retains  the  Article  a,  though  joined  as  an  Adjective 
to  a  Plural  Subftantive :  as,  a  hundred  years*  [6] 

"  For  harbour  at  a  thoufand  doors  they  knock'd ; 
"  Not  one  of  all  the  thoufand  but  what  waslock'uVr 

Dryden* 


•cotooesoooeooet 


[5]  Thus  the  word  many  is  taken  collectively  as  a  Sub- 
stantive : 

*  O  Th®u  fond  Many  t  with  what  loud  applaufe 
Didft  thou  beat  heav'n  with  blefling  Bolingbroke, 
Before  he  was  what  thou  wouldft  have  him  be? 

Shakefpear,  2  Hen.  IV. 

But  it  will  be  hard  to  reconcile  to  any  Grammatical  pro- 
priety, the  following  phrafe  :  "  Many  one  there  bs  that 
fay  of  my  foul,  There  is  no  help  for  him  in  his  God. 

Ffal»  iii.  20- 

W  How  many  a  mejfage  would  he  fend  ? 

Swift,  Verfes  on  his  own  Deaths 

lf  He  would  fend  many  a  tneffage"  is  right :  but  the  quef- 
tion  bow  feems  to  deftroy  the  unity,  or  collective  nature,, 
of  the  Idea ;  and  therefore  it  ought  to  have  been  exprefiedy 
if  the  meafure  would  have  allowed  of  it,  without  the  arti- 
cle, in  the  plural  number :  how  many  mejfages  t** 

[6]  There  were  {lain  of  them  upon  a  three  thoufand 
men  that  is,  to  the  number  of  three  thoufand.  1  Mac, 
iv.  15,  "  About  a?i  eight  days  that  is  a  fpace  of  eight 
days.  Luke  ix.  28.  But  the  expreffion  is  obfolete,  or  at 
lead  vulgar;  and  we  may  add  likewife  improper:  for  nei; 


20  A  SHORT  INTRODUCTION 


The  Definitive  Article  the  isfometimes  applied  to  Adverbs 
in  the  Comparative  and  Superlative  Degree,  and  its  effect  is 
to  mark  the  degree  the  more  ttrongly,  and  to  define  it  the 
more  precifely :  as  The  more  I  examine  it,  the  better  I 
like  it,    I  like  this  the  leqjl  of  any. 


SUBSTANTIV  E. 


A SUBSTANTIVE,  or  Noun,  is  the  Name  of  a  thing; 
of  whatever  we  conceive  in  any  way  to  fubfifr,  or  of 
which  we  have  any  notion. 

Subftantives  are  of  two  forts  ;  Proper,  and  Common, 

Names-  Proper  Names  are  the  names  appropriated  to  indi- 
viduals ;  as  the  names  of  perfons  and  places:  fuch  are  George. 
London*  Common  Names  (land  for  Kinds,  containing  ma- 
ny forts ;  or  for  forts,  containing  many  individuals  under 
them;  as,  Animal,  Man*  And  thefe  Common  Names, 
whether  of  kinds  or  forts,  are  applied  to  exprefs  individuals 
by  the  help  of  Articles  added  to  them,  as  hath  been  already 
fhewn  ;  and  by  the  help  of  Definitive  Pronouns,  as  we  fhall 
fee  hereafter. 

Proper  Names  being- the' names  of  Individuals,  and  there- 
fore of  things  already  as  determinate  as  they  can  be  made, 
admit  not  of  Articles,  or  of  plurality  of  number  ;  unlefs  by 
a  Figure,  or  by  Accident :  as  when  great  Conquerors  are 

called  Alexanders  ;  and  fome  great  Conqueror  An 

Alexander,  or  clbe  Alexander  of  his  age  ;  when  a  Common 
Name  is  underftood,  as  The  Thames,  that  is  the  River 
Thames;  The  George,  that  is,  the  Sign  of  St.  George:  or 
when  it  happens  that  there  are  many  perfons  of  the  fame- 
name;  as,  The  two  Sci/ios* 


•oec;c-ocsces5coe 


ther  of  thefe  numbers  has  been  reduced  by  ufe  and  conveni- 
ence into  one  collective  and  compact  idea,  like  a  hundred* 
and  a  tboufand  ;  each  of  which,  like  a  dozen*  or  a  fczre* 
we  are  accnflomed  equally  to  confider  pn  certain  occajiofl^ 
is  a  finaple  Unity. 


TO  ENGLISH  GRAMMAR. 


21 


Whatever  is  fpoken  of  is  reprefented  as  one  or  more,  in 
Number  :  thefe  two  manners  of  reprefentation  in  refpect  of 
dumber,  are  called  the  Singular,  and  the  Plural,  Number. 

In  EngliPn,  the  Subftantive  Singular  is  made  Plural,  for 
the  mod  part,  by  adding  to  it  s  ;  or  es,  where  it  is  neceffary 
for  the  pronunciation  ;  as,  king,  kings  ;  fox,  foxes  ;  leaf 
leaves:  in  which  laft,  and  many  others,  f  is  alfo  changed 
into  v,  for  the  fake  of  an  eafier  pronunciation,  and  more 
ag-reeable  found. 

Some  few  Plurals  end  in  en;  as,  oxen,  children,  bre- 
thren; and  men,  women,  by  changing  the  a  of  the  Singu- 
lar into  e.  [7]  This  form  we  have  retained  from  the  Teu- 
tonic ;  as  likewife  the  introduction  of  the  e  in  the  former 
fy liable  of  two  of  the  lafl  inflances;  weoinen  (for  fo  we  pro- 
nounce it)  brethren,  from  woman,  brother :  [8]  fomething 
like  which,  may  be  noted  in  fome  other  forms  of  Plurals ;  as, 
moufe,  mice  ;  louje,  lice  ;  toothy  teeth  ;  foot,  feet;  goofe> 
geefe.  [9] 

The  words  JJjeep,  deer,  are  the  fame  in  both  Numbers. 

Some  Nouns,  from  the  naturp  of  the  things  which  they  ex- 
prefs  are  ufed  only  in  the  Singular,  others  only  in  the  Plu- 
ral, form  ;  as,  wheat,  pitch,  gold,  Jloth,  pride,  &c.  and 
bellows,  fcijfars,  lungs,  bowels^  &c. 

The  Englitli  Language,  to  exprefs  different  connections 
and  relations  of  one  thing  to  another,  ufes,  for  the  moft  part, 
Prepofitions.    The  Greek  and  Latin  among  the  ancient,  and 


[7]  And  anciently,  eytn,  Jhoen,  boufen,  ho/en;  fo  like-  - 
wife  anciently,  foiven,  CQVjen^  now  always  pronounced  and 
written  fwine,  kine. 

[S]  In  the  German  the  vowels  a,  c,  «,  of  monofyllable- 
Nouns,  are  generally  in  the  Plural  changed  into  diphthongs 
with  an  e  ;  as  der  hand,  the  hand,  die  hande,  der  hut,  the 
hat,  die  hute  ;  der  knopff,  xhe  button  (or  knop)  die  knopfe, 
<fcc. 

[  9]  Thefe  are  directly  from  the  Saxcn:  mus}  mji  ;  h*s: 
Ijs;  toth,  teth  ;  fot*  fet  ;  gos,  ges. 


22 


A  SHORT  INTRODUCTION" 


fome  too  among  the  modern  languages,  as  the  German,  vary 
the  termination  or  ending  of  the  Snbftantive  to  anfwer  the 
fame  purpofe.  Thefe  different  endings  are  in  tttofe  languages 
called  Cafes.  And  the  Englif-h  being  derived  from  the  fame 
origin  as  the  German,  that  is,  from  the  Teutonic,  [i]  is  not 
-wholly  wichout  them.  For  inftance,  the  relation  of  Pofltff- 
ion,  or  Belonging,  is  often  exprefled  by  a  Cafe,  or  a  differ- 
ent ending  of  the  Subftantive.  This  Cafe  anfwers  to  the 
Genitive  Cafe  in  Latin,  and  may  ftill  be  fo  called  ;  though 
perhaps  more  properly  the  Pcfleflive  Cafe.  Thus,  "  God's 
grace  which  may  alfo  be  exprefled  by  the  Prepofition  ;  as 
"the  grace  ef  God.'1  It  was  formerly,  written  God  is  grace: 
we  now  always  tfiorten  it  with  an  Apoflropke  ;  often  very 
improperly,  when  we  aTe  obliged  to  pronounce  it  fully  ;  as, 
"  Thomas's  b^ok  ;"  that  is,  *  Thcmasis  book  not  "  The* 
mas  bis  book      as  is  commonly  fuppofed.  [2] 

When  th©  thing,  to  which  another  is  faid  to  belong,  is 
exprefled  by  a  circumlocution,  or  by  many  terms,  the  flgri 
of  the  Pofleflive  Cale  is  commonly  added  to  the  l&ft  term  : 

eooocQOOMotooe* 

[1]  "  Lingua  Anglorum  hodierna  avita?  Saxonicas  formam 
in  plerifque  orationispartibus  etiamnum  retinet.  Nam  quoad 
particulas  cafuales,  quorundam  cafuum  terminationes,  con« 
jugationes  verborum,  verbum  fubftantivum,  fo/mam  paflivaj 
vecis,  pronomina,  participia,  conjuncYiones,  et  praepofniones 
omnes  ;  denique  quoad  idiomata,  phrafium^ue  maximam  par- 
tem, etiam  nunc  Saxonicus  eft  Anglorvm  iei-mo.''  Hickes, 
Thefaur.  Lingg.  f*eptent«  Praef.  p  vi.  To  which  may  be 
added,  the  Degrees  of  Comparifonj  the  form  of  which  is  the 
very  fame  in  the  Englifh  as  in  the  Saxon. 

[2]  "  Chrlfi  bis  fake/'  in  our  Liturgy,  is  a  miftake,  ei- 
ther of  the  Printers  on  of  the  Compilers- 

"  Where  '13  this  mankind  now  ?  who  lives  to  age 
Fit  to  be?  made  Methufalem  his  page  ?" 

Donne. 


"  J3y  young  Telemachus  his  blooming  years." 

Pope's  Odyfiey* 


TO  ENGLISH  GRAMMAR, 

as,  «  The  King  of  Great  Britain's  Soldiers."  When  it  is 
a  Noun  ending  in  j,  the  fign  of  the  Poffeflive  Cafe-  i?  fome- 
times  not  added  ;  as,  <;  for  right  eoufnefs  fake  :"*  nor  ever 
to  the  Plural  Number  ending  in  s  :  as  on  eagles  wings."  f 
Both  the  Sign  and  the  Prepofnion  feem  fometimes  to  be 
ufed  ;  ?.s,  44  a  foldier  of  the  king's  :"  but  here  are  really 
two  Pcffeflives;  for  it  means,  "  one  of  the  foldiers  of  the- 
kins."  J 


•000509 MCO300OC 


"  My  paper  is  the  Ulyfts  bis  bow,  in  which  every  man 
of  wit  or  learning  may  try  his  ftrength."  Addifon,  Guardian, 
No.  98.  Th  is  is  no  flip  of  Mr,  Addifon's  pen  1  he  gives  us 
his  opinion  upon  this  point  very  explicitly  in  another  place. 
"  The  fame  (ingle  letter  [j]  on  many  occafions  does  the  of 
flee  of  a  whole  word,  and  reprefents  the  bis  and  bcr  of  our 
forefathers."  Addifon,  Speft.  No.  135.  The  latter  in^ 
ftance  might  have  fhewn  him  how  groundlefs  this  notion  is: 
for  it  is  not  eafy  to  conceive  how  the  letter  s  added  to  a  Fe- 
minine Noun,  mould  reprefent  the  word  ber  ;  any  more 
than  it  mould  the  word  their,  added  to  a  Plural  Noun  ;  as, 
"  the  children's  bread."  But  the  direct  derivation  of* this 
Cafe  from  the  Saxon  Genitive  Cafe,  is  fufficient  of  itfelf  to 
decide  this  matter. 

*  In  Poetry,  the  Sign  of  the  PolTefTive  Cafe  is  frequently 
omitted  af-er  Proper  Names  ending  in  j,  or  x  ;  as,  "  The 
wrath  of  Pelus'  Son."  Pope-  This  feems  not  fo  allowable 
in  Profe  :  as  "  Mofes'  miniiler."  Jofh.  i.  1.  «  Phineas' 
wife.1'  i  Sam.  iv.  19.  «  Feftus  came  into  Felix'  room." 
Acts,  xxiv.  27. 

t  "  It  is  very  probable,  that  this  Convocation  was  called 
to  clear  fome  doubt,  that  king  James  might  have  had,  about 
the  lawfulnefs  of  the  Hollanders,  their  throwing  off  the 
Monarchy  of  Spain,  and  their  withdrawing  for  good  and  all 
their  allegiance  to  that  Crown."  Welvvood's  Memoirs,  p. 
31.6th  Edit.  In  this  Sentence,  the  Pronominal  Adje&ives 
their  is  twice  improperly  added;  the  Poffeffive  Cafe  being 
fufhciently  exprefTed  without  it* 


44  A  SHORT  INTRODUCTION 

The  Englifh  in  its  Subftantives  has  but  two  different  ter* 
minations  tor  Cafes  ;  that  of  the  Nominative,  which  fimply 
expreffes  the  name  of  the  thing,  and  that  of  the  Pofleffi?e 
Cafe. 

Things  are  frequently  confiderered  with  relation  to  the  di- 
ftincYion  of  Sex  or  Gender;  as  being  Male,  or  Female,  or 
Neither  the  one,  nor  the  other.  Hence  Subftantives  are  of 
the  Mafculine,  or  Feminine,  or  Neuter,  that  is,  Neither 
Gender  :  which  latter  is  only  the  exclulion  of  all  confidera- 
tion  of  Gender. 

The  Englifh  Language,  with  fingular  propriety,  follow- 
ing nature  alone,  applies  the  diftimftion  of  Mafculine  and 
Feiriinine  only  to  the  names  of  Animals  ;  all  the  reft  are 
Neuter  :  except  when  by  a  Poetical  or  Rhetorical  fidlion, 
things  inanimate  and  Qualities  are  exhibited  as  Perfons,  and 
confequently  become  either  Male  or  Female.  And  this  gives 
the  Englifh  an  advantage  above  moft  other  languages  in  the 
Poetical  and  Rhetorical  ftyle  :  for  when  Nouns  naturally 
Neuter  are  converted  into  Mafculine  and  Feminine,  [3]  the 
Perfonification  is  more  diftin&ly  and  forcibly  marked. 

ososooocsooeeobc 

[3]  *C  At  his  command  th'  uprooted  hills  retir'd 

Each  to  bis  place  :  they  heard  his  voice,  and  went 
Obfequious  :  Heaven  bis  wonted  face  renew'd, 
And  with  frefh  flow  Vets  hill  and  valley  fmil'd." 

Milton,  P.  L.  B.  Vu 

"  Was  I  deceiv'd,  or  did  a  fable  Cloud 
Turn  forth  ber  lilver  lining  on  the  Night  ?*' 

Milton,  Comusc 

"  Of  Law  no  lets  can  be  acknowledged,  than  that  ber 
feat  is  the  bofom  of  God  ;  ber  voice  the  harmony  of  the 
world.  All  things  in  heaven  and  earth  do  her  homage  ;  the 
•very  leaft,  as  feeling  ber  care  ;  and  the  greateft,  as  not  ex- 
empted from  ber  power."    Flooker,  Book  i.  16. 

"  Go  to  your  Natural  Religion :  lay  before  ber  Mahornct 
and  his  difciples  arrayed  in  armour  and  in  blood  : — (hew  ber 
the  cities  which  he  fet  in  flames ;  the  countries  >vhich  he 


TO  ENGLISH   GRAMMAR.  2$ 

Some  few  Subflantives  are  diftinguifhed  in  their  Gender, 
*by  their  termination  ;  as,  prince,  princefs  ;  ablor,  acirefs; 
lion,  lion'fs  ;  hero,  heroine,  &c. 

The  chief  ufe  of  Gender  in  Englifh,  is  in  the  Pronoun  of 
-the  Third  Perfon,  which  muft  agree  in  that  refpect  with  the 
Noun  for  which  it  (lands* 


PRONOUN. 


A PRONOUN  is  a  word  (landing  hide  ad  of  a  Noun, 
as  its  Subftitute  or  Rcprefentative. 
In  the  Pronoun  are  to  be  confidered  the  Perfon,  Number, 
Gender,  and  Cafe. 

There  are  Three  Perfons  which  may  be  the  Subject  of  any 
difcourfe:  firft,  the  Perfon  whofpeaks,  may  fpeak  of  himfelf ; 
jecondly,  he  may  fpeak  of  the  Perfon  to  whom  he  addreffes 
.himfelf;  tkirdly,  he  may  fpeak  of  fome  other  Perfon. 


ccaoooosoootoM 


ravaged :— when  JJje  has  viewed  him  in  this  fcene,  carry 
her  into  his  retirements  ;  (hew  her  the  Prophets  chamber, 

his  concubines  and  kis  wives  :  when  foe  is  tired  with  this 

profpeel,  then  fhew  her  the  bleffed  Jefus-" — See  the  whole 
paffage  in  the  eotrdufioa  of  Bilhdp  Serlock's  ninth  fermon, 
vol.  i. 

Of  thefe  beautiful  pafifages,  we  may  obferve,  that  as  m 
the  Englifh  if  y®u  put  it  and  its  inftead  of  his,  fue,  her, 
you  confound  and  deftroy  the  images,  and  reduce,  what  was 
before  highly  Poetical  awd  Rhetorical,  to  mere  Profe  and 
common  difcourfe  ;  fo  if  you  render  them  into  another  lan- 
guage, Greek,  Latin,  French,  Italian, or  German,  in  which 
HilK  Heaven,  Cloud,  Law,  Religion,  are  conftar.tly  maf- 
culine,  or  Feminine,  or  Neuter,  refpe&ively,  you  make  the 
images  obfeure  and  doubtful,  and  in  proportion  diminrfh  their 
beauty. 

This  excellent  remark  is  Mr.  Harris's,  Hermls,  p.  58* 
C 


26 


A  SHORT  INTRODUCTION 


Thefe  are  called,  refpe£tively,  the  Firft,  Second,  and 
Third,  Perfons:  and  are  exprefTedby  the  Pronouns  I,  Tbcu9 


As  the  Speakers,  the  Perfons  fpoken  to,  and  the  other 
Perfons  fpoken  of,  may  be  many,  fo  each  of  thefe  Perfons 
hath  the  Plural  Number  ;  IVe,  Yc>  They. 

The  Perfons  fpeaking  and  fpoken  to,  Leirg  at  the  fame 
time  the  Subjects  of  the  difcourfe,  are  fuppofed  to  beprefent, 
from  which  and  other  circumRances,  their  Sex  is  cemmenly 
known,  and  needs  not  to  be  marked  by  a  diflindtion  of  Gen- 
der in  their  Pronouns  ;  but  the  third  Perfon  or  thing  fpoken 
ot  being  abfent,  and  in  many  refpecls  unknown,  it  is  necef- 
fary  that  it  fliould  be  marked  by  a  diitinclion  of  Gender  ;  at 
leaft  when  fome*  particular  Perfon  ©r  thing  is  fpoken  of, 
•which  ought  to  be  more  diftinclly  marked  :  accordingly  the 
Pronoun  Singular  of  the  third  Perfon  hath  the  Three  Genders, 
He,  Sbe,  It. 

Pronouns  have  Three  Cafes  ;  the  Nominative;  the  Geni- 
tive, or  Pofleffive;  like  Nouns;  and  moreover  a  Cafe,  which 
fellows  the  Verb  AcYrve,  or  the  Prepofuion,  expreffing  the 
Objedl  of  an  AcYion,  or  of  a  Relation.  It  anfwers  to  the 
Oblique  Ca  fe  in  Latin  ;  and  may  be  properly  enough  called 
the  Objective  Cafe. 


According  to  their  Perfons,  Numbers,  Cafes,  and  Genders* 


He. 


PRONOUNS; 


PERSONS. 


i.  ^  i.  3. 

Singular, 
I,  Thou,  Me  ; 


We, 


Ye  or  Ycu,  They. 


CASES, 


Nom.    Poff.    Obj.  Kim. 

Firft  Perfon. 
I:       Mine,    Me ;  We, 


Poff.  Obj. 


,  Ourfj  Us. 


TO  ENGLISH   GRAMMAR.  2J 

Second  Perfon. 
Singular.  Plural. 

I.  2.  3.  I.  2.  3. 

Thou,  Thine,  Th§e  ;        Ye  or  You,  Yours,  You.  [  \} 

Third  Perfon. 
IJjfc-  He,  His,  Him;Y 

Fern.  She,  Hers,  Her  ;>  They,  Theirs,  Them* 
Niut-  it,  Its  [5]  It;  3 


ocao c roo : 009 ccoo 


{4]  Some  Writers  have  ufed  Te  as  the  Objective  Ca.fe 
Plural  of  the  Pronoun  of  the  Second  Perfon:  very  impro 
perly  and  ungrammatically. 

"  Tiie  more  fliame  for  ye  :  holy  men  I  thought  ye?* 

Shakefpcar,  Hen.  VIII. 

<J  But  Tyrants  dread  ye,  Urfl  your  juft  decree 
Transfer  the  pow'r,  and  let  the  people  free." 

Prior. 

"  His  wrath,  which  one  day  will  defiroy  ye  both." 

Milton,  P.  L.  ii.  734* 

Milton  ufes  the  fame  manner  of  expreffion  in  a  few  other 
places  of  his  Paradife  Loft,  and  more  frequently  in  his 
Poems.  It  may  perhaps  be  allowed  in  the  Comic  and  Bur- 
lefque  flyle,  which  often  imitates  a  vulgar  and  incorrect  pro- 
nunciation :  as,  u  By  the  Lord,  l  knew  yey  as  well  as  he 
that  made  ye."  Shake  fje-ar,  1  Hen.  IV.  But  in  the  ferious 
ami  folemn  ftyle,  no  authority  is  fufEcient  to  joftify  fo  ma- 
nifeft  a  Solecifm. 

The  Singular  and  Plural  Forms  feem  to  be  confounded  in 
the  following  fentence  : 

"  Pafs  ye  away,  thou  inhabitant  of  Saphir-" 

Micah,  i.  1  r. 

[5]  The  Neuter  Pronoun  of  the  Third  Perfon  had  for- 
merly no  variation  of  Cafes.  In  (lead  of  the  Poffeffive  Hit 
they  ufed  which  is  now  appropriated  to  the  Mafculine. 
H  Learning  hath  bis  infancy,  when  it  is  but  beginning,  and 
almoft  childiih  j  then  bis  youth,  when  it  is  luxuriant  and 


A  SHORT  INTRODUCTION 


The  Perfonal  Pronouns  have  the  nature  of  Subftantives, 
and  as  fuch  fland  by  themfelves:  the  reft  have  the  nature  of 
Adjectives,  and  as  fuch  are  joined  to  Subftantives  ;  and  may 
be  called  Pronominal  Adjectives. 

Tby,  My,  Her,  Our,  Tour,  Their,  are  Pronominal  Ad- 
jectives :  but  Ilts  (that  is,  Re's)  Her's,  Our's,  Tour's, 
Tbeir's,  have  evidently  the  form  of  tiie  PolTeihve  Cafe  2 


•ooeeoo 0000 ooo« 


juvenile  ;  then  Bis  ftrength  of  years,  when  it  is  folid  and 
reduced;  and  hilly,  bis  eld  age,  when  it  waxeth  dry  and 
cxhauft."    Bacon,  Eflfay  58. 

In  this  example  bis  is  evidently  ufed  as  the  Poflefllve  Cafe 
of  it*  Bat  what  fhall  we  fay  to  the  following,  where  ber  is 
applied  in  the  fame  manner,  and  feems  to  make  a  ftrange 
confufion  of  Gender? 

"  He  that  piicketh  the  heart  maketh  it  to  fhew  ber  know- 
ledge."   Eccltis.  xxii.  19. 

M  When,  what  I  long  muft  love,  and  long  muft  mourn, 
With  fatal  fpeed  was  urging  bis  return*"  Prior. 

Wbat)  though  fometimes  applied  to  Perfons  in  afking  a  que- 
ftion,  as,  "  Wbat  man  is  he  V*  yet  is  generally  neuter,  as 
it  muft  be  in  this  place.  It  ought  rather  to  be  ivbom  ;  the 
Antecedent  be  being  omitted  by  an  Ell ipfis  common  in  Po« 
etry. 

"  Oft  have  I  feen  a  timely-parted  ghoft, 
Of  afliy  femblance,  meagre,  pale,  and  bloodlefs,- 
Beisig  all  defcended  to  the  tabVmg  heart, 
Who,  in  the  conflict  that  it  holds  with  death, 
Attracts  the  fame  for  aidance  'gainft  the  enemy." 

Shakefpear,  2  Hen.  VI. 

If  the  Poet  had  faid  be  inftead  of  it,  he  would  have  avoid- 
ed a  confufion  of  Genders,  and  happily  completed  the  %>i- 
rited  and  elegant  Profopopoeia  begun  by  the  Perfonal  Rela  - 
tive iv bo*  The  Neuter  Relative  ivbicb,  would  have  made 
the  fentence  more  ftri&ly  grammatical,  but  at  the  fame  time 
more  profaic. 


TO  ENGLISH   GRAMMAR  2$ 

and  by  Analogy,  Mine*  Thine  [6]  may  be  efteemed  of  the 
fame  rank.  Ail  thefe  are  ufed,  when  the  Noun  they  belong 
to  is  underftood :  the  two  latter  fometimes  alfo  inftead  of 
my,  thy,  when  the  Noun  following  them  begins  with  a 
vowel. 

Beiide  the  foregoing,  there  are  feveral  other  Pronominal 
Adjectives ;  which,  tho*  they  may  fometimes  feem  to  Hand 
by  themfelves,  yet  have  always  fome  Subftantive  belonging 
to  them,  either  referred  to,  or  underftood  :  as,  Tbis,  that, 
other,  any,  fome,  cne,  none  ;  thefe  are  called  Definitive, 
becaufe  they  define  and  limit  the  extent  of  the  Common 
Name,  or  General  Term,  to  which  they  either  refer,  or  are 
joined.  The  three  firft -of  thefe  are*  varied  to  exprefs  Num- 
ber ;  as,  Tbefc,  tbofe,  ethers  ;  the  laft  of  which  admits  of 
the  Plural  form  only,  when  its  fubftantive  is  not  joined  to 
it,  but  referred  to,  or  underftood :  none  of  them  are  varied 
to  exprefs  the  Gender  :  only  two  of  them  to  exprefs  the 
Cafe;  as,  other,  owe,  which  have  the  PofTelTive  Cafe.  One 
is  fometimes  ufed  in  an  Indefinite  fenfe  (anfwering  to  the 
French  on)  as  in  the  following  phrafes ;  "  one  is  apt  to 
think  "  one  fees;"  "  one  hippoles/  Who,  'which,  that% 
are  called  Relatives,  becaufe  they  more  directly  refer  to 
fome  Subftantive  going  before ;  which  therefore  is  called  the 
Antecedent.  They  aifo  conneel  the  following  part  of  the 
-Sentence  with  the  foregoing.  Thefe  belong  to  all  the  three 
Perfons  ;  whereas  the  reft  belong  only  to  the  Third.  One 
of  them  only  is  varied  to  exprefs  the  three  Cafes  \  Wboy 

COMCOMJ000003& 


[6]  So  the  Saxon  1c  hath  the  Poffeffive  Cafe  Min  ;  Thuf 
Poffeffive  Thin  ;  He,  Poffeffive  His  :  from  which  our  Pof- 
feffive Cafes  of  the  fame  Pronouns  are  taken  without  altera- 
tion. To^  the  Saxon  Poffeffive  Cafes,  hire,  urc,  eoiver,hf- 
ra,  (that  is,  her's,  our's,  your's,  their' s)  we  have  added 
the  /,  the  Characleriftic  of  the  Poffeffive  Cafe  of  Nouns. 
Or  our's,  your's,  are  directly  from  the  Saxon  urts,  eowet  s; 
the  Poffeflive  Cafe  of  the  Pronominal  Adjectives  ure,  ebwerj 
that  is,  our)  your. 

C  % 


Sa  A  SHORT  INTRODUCTION 

wbofe,  [*]  that  is,  who's,  [7]  vbom  ;  none  of  them  nave 
different  endings  for  the  Numbers.  Who,  which,  what, 
are  called  Interrogatives,  when  they  are  ufed  in  afkingquef- 
itions.  The  two  latter  of  them  have  no  variation  of  Num- 
ber or  Cafe.  Each,  every,  [8 J  either,  are  called  Diftri- 
butives,  becaufe  they  denote  the  Perfons,  or  Things,  that 
make  up  a  number,  as  taken  feparately  and  fmgly. 

Own  and  felf,  in  the  Plural  felvcs,  are  joined  to  the 
Poffeffives  my,  our,  thy,  your,  his,  her,  their ;  as,  my 
fw*  hand  ;  rnyfe1/,  your j elves  ;  both  of  them  expre  fling 
eraphafis,  or  oppoiition  ;  as,  *  I  did  it  my  own  felf,"  that 
is,  and  no  one  elfe  :  the  latter  alfo  forming  the  Reciprocal 
Pronoun;  as,  "  he  hurt  himfelf"  Himfelf  tbemjelves, 
fcem  to  be  ufed  in  the  Nominative  Cafe,  by  corruption,  in- 


•0*0  ooce  CM*  00*0 


[*]  Wbofe  is  by  fome  authors  made  the  Poffeffive  Cafe 
©f  which,  and  applied  to  things  as  well  as  perfons  ;  I  think 
improperly.  ^ 

"  The  queftion,  wbofe  folution  I  require, 

Is,  what  the  fex  of  women  moil  defire  ?"  Dryden. 

fS  Is  their  any  other  doftrine,  wbofe  followers  are  pun- 
ched Iff  Addifon. 

The  higher  Poetry,  which  loves  to  confider  every  thing 
as  bearing  a  Perfonal  Character,  frequently  applies  the  per- 
sonal Pofiefiive  wbsfe  to  inanimate  beings : 

M  Of  man's  firft  difobedience,  and  the  fruit 
Of  that  forbidden  Tree,  wbofe  mortal  talle 
Brought  death  into  the  world,  and  all  our  woe/' 

Milton. 

[7]  So  the  Saxon  bwa  hath  the  PoflTefllve  Cafe  hwess. 

Note,  that  the  Saxons  rightly  placed  the  Afpirate  before 
the  w  ;  as  we  pronounce  it.  This  will  be  evident  to  any 
one  that  fliail  confider  in  what  manner  he  pronounces  the 
-words  what,  when  ;  that  is,  boo-at,  boo-en» 

[8]  Every  was  formerly  much  ufed  as  a  Pronominal  Ad- 
Jeclive,  (landing  by  itfelf  j  as,  [\  £[e  propofeth  uflto  G$i 


TO  ENGLISH   GRAMMAR  J I 

fteadof  his  felf  their  J elves  ;  [9]  as,  "  he  came  himfelj; 
they  did  it  them/elves  s"  where  bimfelf,  tbsm/elves,  can- 
not be  in  the  Objective  Cafe.  If  this  be  lb,  felf  mud  be# 
in  thefe  inftance3,  not  a  Pronoun,  but  a  Noun.  Thus  Dry- 
den  ufes  it : 

«  What  I  ihow9 
Thy  felf  may  freely  on  thy  felf  beftow." 

Ourfelf,  the  Plural  Pronominal  Adjective  with  the  Sin- 
gular Subftantive,  is  peculiar  co  the  Regal  Style, 

Own  i3  an  Adjective  ;  or  perhaps  the  Participle  ( owenj 
[10]  of  the  obfoiete  verb  to  owe;  to  ponefs ;  to  be  the 
right  owner  of  a  thing.  [*} 

All  Nouns  whatever  in  Grammatical  ConftrucYion,  are  of 
the  Third  Perfon  :  except  when  an  addrefs  is  made  to  a  Per- 
Ion  :  then  the  Noun  (anfwering  to  what  is  called  the  Voca- 
tive Cafe  in  Latin)  is  ot  the  Secoud  Perfou. 


ADJECTIVE* 

•0003000900*0009 

their  neceflities,  and  they  their  own  reqdcfrs,  for  relief  ia 
every  of  them."  Hooker,  v.  39.  We  now  fhould  fay, 
€very  one* 

[9]  His  felf  and  their  J 'elves,  were  formerly  in  ufe, 
even  in  the  Objective  Gafe  after  a  Prepofition  :  "  Every  of 
us,  each  for  bis  felf,  laboured  how  to  recover  him." 

Sidney* 

"  That  they  would  willingly,  and  of  their  felve?,  en- 
deavour to  keep  a  perpetual  chaftity  1"  Stat.  2  and  3.  Ed* 
vi.  c.  21. 

[10]  Chaucer  has  thus  exprefTed  it  : 

"  As  friendly,  as  he  were  his  ovoen  brother." 
Cant.  Tales,  1654.  Edit.  1775.    And  lo  in  many  othes 
places  ;  and,  I  believe,  always  in  the  fame  manner.: 

£*]  R  The  man  that  ovttfb  this  girdle. "    Ads  xxj.  1  u 


3%  A  SHORT  INTRODUCTION 


ADJECTIVE. 

AN  Adjective  is  a  Word  added  to  a  Subflantive,  to  ex- 
prefs its  Quality,  [i] 
In  Englifli,  the  Adjective  is  not  varied  on  account  of  Gen- 
der, In  umber,  or  Cafe.  [2]    The  only  variation  it  admits  cf 
is,  that  of  the  Degrees  of  Companion. 

Qualities  for  the  rnofl  part  admit  of  more  and  lefs^  or  of 
different  degrees  ;  and  the  words  that  exprefs  fuch  Qualities 
have  accordingly  proper  forms  to  exprefs  different- 'degrees. 
When  a  quality  is  limply  exprefled,  without  any  relation  to 
the  fame  in  a  different  degree,  it  is  called  the  Pofitive  ;  as, 
ni'i/e,  great.  When  it  is  exprefled  with  augmentation,  or 
with  reference  to  a  lefs  degree  of  the  fame,  it  is  called  the 
Comparative  ;  as,  wfers  greater.  When  it  is  exprefled  as 
being  in  the  higheft  degree  of  all,  it  is  called  the  Superlative; 
as,  wifeft,  great ejl* 

So  that  the  limple  word,  or  Pofitive,  becomes  Compara- 
tive, by  adding  r,  or  er  ;  and  Superlative,  by  adding  J}  or 
efty  to  the  end  of  it-  And  the  Adverbs  more  and  mofi  placed 


[1]  Adjectives  are  very  improperly  called  Nouns  ;  for 
they  are  not  the  Names  of  things-  The  Adjectives  good, 
white,  are  applied  to  the  Nouns  man,  fnoiv,  to  exprefs  the 
Qualities  belonging  to  thofe  Subjects ;  but  the  Names  of 
thofe  Qualities  in  the  Abftract  (that  is,  confidered  in  them- 
felves,  and  without  being  attributed  to  any  Subject)  are  good* 
nefs,  ivbitentfs  ;  arid  the  f£  are  Nouns,  or  Subftanrives. 

[2]  Some  few  Pronominal  Adjectives  mutt,  here*  be  ex- 
cepted, as  having  the  Poffeffive  Cafe  ;  as,  otie,  other ^ 
then 

u  By  ones  own  choice."  Sidney. 

£  Teach  me  to  feel  another's  woe.5' 

Pope;  Uruverfal  Frayerv 


TO  ENGLISH   GRAMMAR*  33 

before  the  AdjecYive  have  the  fame  effect  ;  as,  wife)  mors, 
wife,  mojl  wife,  [*] 

Monofyliables,  for  the  moft  part,  are  compared  by  er  and 
eft  ;  and  DifTyllables  by  more  and  7110ft  ;  as,  mild,  milder) 
mildeft ;  frugal,  more  frugal,  mo  ft  frugal.  DiiTyliables 
ending  in  y,  as,  happy,  lovely  ;  and  in  le  after  a  mute  ; 
as  able,  ample;  or  accented  on  the  laft  fyllable,  as  difcreet, 
polite  ;  eatily  admit  of  er  and  eft.  Words  of  more  than 
two  fyllabfes  hardly  ever  admit  of  thofe  terminations. 

In  iome  few  words  the  Superlative  is  formed  by  adding  the 
Adverb  mojl  to  the  end  of  them  :  as,  netbermoftr  utter- 
moft,  or  utmoft,  undermoft,  upper  mojl,  for  emoft. 
I  In  Englifh,  as  in  mod  languages,  there  are  iorne  words 
of  very  common  ufe,  in  which  the  caprice  of  Cuftom  is  apt 
to  get  the  better  of  Analogy,  that  are  irregular  in  this  re- 
flect:  as,  goody  better,  beft ;  bad,  worfe,  worft ;  little^ 


And  the  Adjectives  former  and  latter,  may  be  confjdereel 
as  Pronominal,  and  reprefenting  the  Nouns  to  which  they 
refer  ;  if  the  phrale  in  the  following  fentence  be  allowed  to 
be  juft  :  "  It  wasliappy  for  the  ftate,  that  Fabius  continued 
in  the  command  with  Minucius  :  the  former's  phlegm  was 
a  check  upon  the  latter- 5  vivacity," 

[*]  Double  Comparatives  and  Superlatives  are  improper  % 

The  Duke  of  Milan, 
And  his  more  braver  Daughter  could  coniroui  thee." 

Shakefpear,  Tempeft,  - 

"  After  the  mojl  ftraiteft  feci  of  our  religon,  I  have  lived 
a  Pharifee."  Acts  xxvi.  5,  So  likewife  Adjectives,  that 
have  in  themfelves  a  Superlative  fignification,  admit  not  pro- 
perly the  Superlative  form  fuperadded :  "  Whomever  of  you 
will  be  chiefejl,  ffoall  be  fervant  of  all"  Mark  x.  44. 
"  One  of  the  firfl  and  chief e [I  in  fiances  of  prudence,"  At- 
terbury,  Serm-  IV.  10.  "  While  the  extremeft  parts  of 
the.  earth  were  meditating  a  fubmil^flon.,,    Ibid.  I,  4. 


34  A  SHORT  INTRODUCTION 

lefts  [3]  haft  ;  much,  or  many,  more,  moft  ;  and  a  few 
others. 

And  in  other  languages,  the  words  irregular  in  this  refpeft, 
?.re  thofe  which  expreis  the  very  lame  ideas  with  the  fore- 
going. 


VERB. 


AV  ERB  is  a  Wcrd  which  fignifles  to  be,  to  do,  or 
to  fuffer. 

1  here  are  three  kinds  of  Verbs  j  Active,  Paffive  and  Neu- 
ter Verbs. 

A  Verb  Active  expreffes  an  AcTion,  and  neceffarily  im- 
plies an  agent,  and  an  object  acUri  upon  :  as,  to  love  ;  "  I 
love  Thomas." 

A  Verb  PafTive  exprefTts  a  Paffion,  or  a  Suffering,  or  the 
Receiving  of  an  Action ;  and  neceiTarily  implies  an  objeft 
a<fted  upon,  and  an  agent  by  which  it  is  adled  upon  j  as,  to 
be  Icved  ;  M  Thomas  is  loved  by  me." 


CCOC  C09C  CC0CDCO3 


<r  But  firft  and  chief  eft  with  thee  bring 

Him,  that  yon  ibars  on  golden  wing, 

Guiding  the  fiery-wheeled  throne,        .  . 

The  Gherub  Contemplation."         Milton,  II  Penferofo. 

M  That  on  the  fea's  extremeft  border  flood." 

Addifon's  Travels. 

But  Poetry  is  in  pofTeflion  of  thefe  two  improper  Superla- 
tives, and  may  be  indulged  in  the  ufe  of  them. 

The  Double  Superlative  moft  bigbeft  is  a  phrafe  peculiar 
to  the  Old  Vulgar  Tranflation  of  the  Pfalms,  where  it  ac- 
quires a  lingular  propriety  from  the  Subject  to  which  it  is 
applied,  the  Supreme  Being,  who  is  higher  than  the  high- 

*fi*  : 

"  LeJJer,  fays  Mr,  Johnfon,  is  a  barbarous  corrup- 
tion of  Lefts,  formed  by  the  vulgar  from  the  habit  of  termi- 
nating comparifons  in  er." 


TO  ENGLISH   GRAMMAR.  35 

So  when  the  agent  takes  the  lead  in  the  fentence,  the 
Verb  is"  Active,  and  is  followed  by  the  Objedl:  when  the 
Object  takes  the  lead,  the  Verb  is  Paffive,  and  is  followed 
by  the  Agent. 

A  Verb  Neuter  expreffcs  Being  ;  or  a  ftate  or  condition  of 
being  ;  when  the  Agent  and  the  Objedl  acted  upon  coincide, 
and  the  event  is  properly  neither  Action  nor  Pafiion,  but  ra- 
ther fomething  between  both  ;  as,  lam,  I  Jleep,  I  wake. 

The  Verb  Active  is  called  alfo  Tianfitive,  becaufe  the 
Action  paffetb  over  to  the  objedl,  or  hath  an  effect  upon 
fome  other  thing  :  and  the  Verb  Neuter  is  called  Intranfi- 
tive,  becaufe  the  effect  is  confined  within  the  Agent,  and 
doth  not  pafs  over  to  ?ny  objedl.  [4] 


Ktxooofteooaooo* 

I  .t«  Attend  to  what  a  lejfer  Mufe  indites."  Addifon. 

K  The  tongue  is  like  a  race-horfe  ;  which  runs  the  fa(!er> 
the  lejfer  weight  it  carries.    Addifon,  Spedl.  No.  247* 

Worfer  founds  much  more  barbarous,  only  becaufe  it  has  not 
been  lb  frequently  ufed  : 

41  Chang'd  to  a  worfer  fhape  thou  canft  not  be," 

Shakefpear,  1.  Hen.  VI* 

"A  dreadful  quiet  felt,  and  worjer  far 

Than  arms,  a  fallen  interval  of  war."    Dry  den. 

The  Superlative  leajl,  ought  rather  to  be  written  without 
the  a,  being  contracted  from  lejfeji  ;  as  Dr.  Wallis  h.uh  long 
ago  obferved*  The  Conjunction  of  the  fame  found  might  be 
wiitten  with  the      for  diiimcVion. 

[4]  The  diftindtion  between  Verbs  abfolutely  Neuter,  as 
to  Jleep,  and  Verbs  Active  Intranfitive,  as  to  *walk9  though 
founded  in  nature  and  truth,  is  of  little  ufe  in  Grammar. 
Indeed  it  would  rather  perplex  than  affift  the  learner :  for 
the  difference  between  Verbs  Active  and  Neuter,  as  Tranfi- 
tive  and  Intranfitive,  is  eafy  and  obvious ;  but  the  difference 
between  Verbs  abfolutely  Neuter  and  intranfitively  Active, 
is  not  always  clean    But  however  thefe  latter  may  differ  ic 


A   SHORT  INTRODUCTION 


In  Englifh  many  Verbs  are  nfed  both  in  an  AcYive  and 
Hooter  fignification,  the  conftruction  only  determining  of 
which  kind  they  are. 

lb  the  fignification  of  the  Verb  is  fnperadded  the  deHgna- 
tion  of  Perfon,  by  which  it  correfponds  with  the  feveral  Per- 
fonal  Pronouns  ;  of  Number,  by  which  it  eorrefponds  with 
the  Number  of  the  Noun,  Singular  or  Plural  ;  of  l  ime,  by 
which  it  reprefents  the  being,  action,  or  paliion,  as  Prefent, 
Pad,  or  Future  ;  whether  Jmperfedlly  or  Perfectly  ;  that  is 
whether  palling  in  fuch  time,  or  then  finHhed  ;  and  laftly  of 
Mode,  or  of  the  various  Manner  in  which  the  being,  aclion, 
or  paflion  is  expreffed. 

In  a  Verb  therefore  are  to  be  confidered  the  Perfon,  the 
Number,  the  Time,  and  the  Mode. 

The  Verb  in  lbme  parts  of  it  varies  its  endings,  to  exprefs 
or  agree  with,  different  perfons  of  the  fame  Number ;  as, 
"  I  love,  Thou  lovejl,  He  lovetb,  or  loves. 

So.alfo  to  exprefs  different  numbers  of  the  fame  Perfon  ; 
as,  "  Thou  lovefi,  Ye  love ;  He  lovetb,  They  love."  [5 ] 

So  likewife  to  exprefs  different  Times,  in  which  any  thing 
is  reprefented  as  bei»g,  acting,  or  acted  upon  ;  as,  "llovey 
1  loved  ;  1  bear,  I  bore,  I  have  borne." 

The  Mode  is  the  Manner  of  reprefenting  the  Being,  Ac- 
tion, or  Paffion.  When  it  is  fimply  declared,  or  aquefiion 
aiked  in  order  to  obtain  a  declaration  concerning  it,  it  is 
called  the  Indicative  Mode  ;  as,  "  I  love,  lovejl  thou  ?" 
when  it  is  bidden,  it  is  called  the  Imperative  ;  as,  "  love 
thou  :"  when  it  is  Subjoined  as  the  end  or  defign,  or  men- 
tioned under  a  condition,  a  fuppofition,  or  the  like,  for  the 
moft  part  depending  on  lbme  other  Verb,  and  having  a  Con- 
junction before  it,  it  is  called  the  Subjun.cYrve  5  as,  "  if  I 


-poooecocoooeoooo 


.nature,  the  Conftruclion  of  them  both  is  the  fame:  and 
.Grammar  is  not  fo  mueh  concerned  with  their  real,  as  their 
Grammatical,  properties. 

[5]  In  the  Plural  Number  of  the  Verb,  there  is  no  vari- 
ation of  ending  to  exprefs  the  different  Perfons  ;  and  the 
three  Perfons  Plural  are  the  fame  alio  with  the  .firft  PeHofi 


TO  ENGLISH  GRAMMAk,  3/ 

fof  e  ;  if  thou  love  when  it  is  barely  exprefled  without 
tiny  limitation  of  per fon  or  number,  it  is  Called  the  Infini- 
tive; as,  u  to  love  .and  when  it  is  exprefled  in  a  form  in 
which  it  may  be  joined  to  a  Noun  as  its  quality  or  accident, 
partaking  thereby  of  the  nature- of  an  Adjective,  it  is  call- 
ed the  Participle  ;  as,  "  loving."  [6] 

But  to  exprefs  the  Time  of  the  Verb,  the  Englifli  ufes 
&lfo  the  affiihnce  of  other  Verbs,  Called  therefore  Axui'iu 


eooeeooeooee 


Singular :  moreover,  in  the  Present  Time  of  the  Subjunc- 
tive Mode  all  Perfonal  Variation  is  wholly  dropt.  Yet  is 
this  fcanty  provifion  of  terminations  fufficient  fcr  all  the  pur- 
pofes  of  difcourfe,  nor  does  any  ambiguity  rife  from  it ;  the 
Verb  being  always  attended  either  with  the  Noun  expre fl- 
ing the  Subject  acYmg  or  a&ed  upon,  or  the  Pronoun  repre- 
fenting  it.  For  which  reafon  the  Plural  termination  in  en, 
they  loveii,  they  vteren,  formerly  in  ufe,  was  laid  afide  as 
'Imneceflary,  and  hath  long  been  obfolete. 

[6]  A  Mode  is  a  particular  form  of  the*  Verb,  denoting 
the  manner  in  which  a  thing  is,  does,  orfuffers;  or  exprefl- 
Jng  an  intention  of  mind  concerning  fuch  being,  doing,  or 
fufFering.  As  far  as  Grammar  is  concerned,  there  are  no 
more  Modes  in  any  language  than  there  are  forms  of  the 
Verb  appropriated  to  the  denoting  of  fuch  different 'manners 
of  representation.  For  inftance  ;  the  Greeks  have  a  pecu- 
liar form  of  a  Verb  by  which  they  exprefs  the  fubjedl,  or 
matter,  of  a  Wifh  ;  which  properly  conOitutes  an  Optative 
Mode  :  but  the*  Latins  have  no  fuch  form  :  the  fubjedl  of  a 
Wifh  in  their  language  is  fiibjoined  to  the  Wi;h  itfelf  either 
exprefled  or  implied,  as  fubfequent  to  it  and  depending  on  it  ; 
they  have  therefore  no  Optative  Mode  ;  but  what  is  exprefl- 
ed in  that  Mode  in  Greek,  falls  properly  under  the  Subjunc- 
tive Mode  in  Latin.  For  the  fame  reafon.  in  Englilh  the 
feveral  expreffions  of  Conditional  Will,  Polfibility,  Liberty, 
Obligation,  &c.  come  all  under  the  Subjunctive  Mode  :  The 
jmere  expreffions  of  Will,  PolTibility,  Liberty,  Obligation^ 
"&c.  belong  to  the  Indicative  Mode  :  It  is  their  Condition- 

D 


3$  A   SHORT  INTRODUCTION 


aries,  or  Helpers;  do,  be,  have,  Jljall,  will :  as,  il  I  rfd 
love,  I  Jiff  love  ;  I  loved,  I  was  loved  ;  I  Z>#^e  loved^ 
I  km  £ce7j  loved  ;  I  JJmll,  or  ti>i//,  love,  or  be  loved." 


eoococomooe* 


ality,  their  being  fubfequent,  and  depending  upon  fomething 
preceding,  that  determines  them  to  the  Subjunctive  Mode* 
And  in  this  Grammatical  Modal  Form,  however  they  may 
differ  in  other  refpects,  Logically  or  Metaphyseal! y,  thcry 
all  agree.  That  Will,  Pofiibility,  Liberty,  Obligation,  &c. 
though  expreffed  by  the  fame  Verbs  that  are  occafjonally 
ufed  as  Subjunctive  Auxiliaries,  may  belong  to  the  Indi- 
cative Mode,  will  be  apparent  from  a  few  examples  : 

"  Here  we  may  reign  fecure."— 

11  Or  of  th'  Eternal  co-eternal  beam 
May  I  exprefs  thee  unblam'd  , 

i6  Firm  they  might  have  flood, 
Yetfell."-^/  Milton.* 

**  What  we  would  do, 
■We  Jhould  do,  when  we  would*' 

Shake fpear,  Hamlet. 

"Is  this  the  nature 
Which  pafTion  could  not  Fnake  ?  whofe  folid  virtue 
The  (hot  of  accident,  or  dart  of  chance, 
Could  neither  raze,  nor  pierce  V*  Id.  Othelo. 

Thefe  fentences  are  all  either  declarative,  or  fimply  inter- 
rogative  ;  and  however exprefftve  of  Will,  Liberty,  Pofiibil- 
ity, or  Obligation,  yet  the  Verbs  are  all  of  the  Indicative 
Mode. 

It  feems,  therefore,  that  whatever,  other  Metaphyseal 
Modes  there  may  be  in  the  Theory  of  Univerfal  Grammar, 
there  are  in  Lnglifh  no  other  Grammatical  Modes  than  thofe 
above  deicribed. 

As  in  Latin  the  Subjunctive  fupplies  the  want  of  an  Op- 
tative Mode,  fo  does  it  like  wife  in  Englilh,  with  the  Auxili- 
ary may  placed  before  the  Nominative  Gafe  :  as,  44  Long 
piay  be  live!"  Sometimes  chiefly  when  Almighty  God  k 


TO  ENGLISH  GRAMMAR.  39 

The  two  principal  Auxiliaries,  to  bave,  and  to  bey  are 
thus  varied  according  to  Perfon,  Number,  Time,  and  Modj» 

Time  is  Prefent,  Part,  or  Future. 

To  HAVE, 


Indicative  Mode. 

Prefent  Time. 

Sing.  Plur. 

1 .  I  have,  We  ") 

2-  Thou  haft  [;]  Ye  >-have. 

3«  He  hath,  or  has  [8]  ;  They  J 

cooooccoocco 


the  fubjeft,  the  Auxiliary  is  omitted:  as,  <l  The  LORD 
blejs  thee,  and  keep  thee;"  Numb.  vi.  24.  But  the 
phrafe  with  the  Pronoun  is  o.bfoiete  :  as,  *  (Jrato  which  be 
vouebfafe  to  bring  us  ali  .  Liturgy. 

That  the  participle  is  a  mere  Mode  of  the  Verb,  is  mani- 
feft,  if  our  Definition  of  a  Verb  be  admitted  :  for  it  figni- 
fies  being,  doing,  or  fuiFering,  with  the  defignation  of  Time 
fuperadded.  But  If  the  eflence  of  the  Verb  be  made  to 
con  fill  in  afprrnajtion,  notonlythe  Participle  will  be  exclud- 
ed from  its  place  in  the  Ve»  b,  but  the  Infinitive  itfelf  alio, 
which  ceitain  ancient  Grammarians  of  great  authority  held 
to  be  alone  the  genuine  Verb,  denying  that  title  to  all  the 
other  Modes.    See  Hermes,  p.  164. 

[7]  Tbbu?\tx  the  Polite,  and  even  in  the  Familiar  Style, 
is  diluted,  and  the  plural  You  is  employed  inftead  of  it  :  we 
fay  You  bave,  not  Thou  baft.  Though  in  this  cafe  we  ap- 
ply You  to  a  i'mgle  Perfo;i,  yet  the  Verb  too  muft  agree 
with  it  in  the  Plural  Number  :  it  mud  necefTarily  be  You 
have,  not  You  baft.  You  was,  the  Second  Perfon  Plural  of 
the  Pronoun  placed  in  agreement  with  the  Firfl  or  Third 
Perfon  Singular  of  the  Verb,  is  an  enormous  Solecifm  :  and 
yet  Authors  of  the  fit  ft  rank  have  inadvertently  fallen  into 
it.  *  Knowing  that  you  was  my  old  mailer's  good  friend, 
Addifou,  Sped.  No.  517.    "  Would  to  God  you  was  with- 


4<*  A   SHCRT  INTRODUCTION 

Part  Time- 

U  I  had,.  We  ) 

*  Thou  hacift  Ye  ( had, 

y  lie  ha<j  They  J 


eoeeeooeedce;c&* 


in  her  reach."  Lord  Bolingbroke  to  Swift,  Letter  46.  u  If 
; '<  u  waj.here-'1  Ditto.  Letter  47.  "Iam  juft  now  as 
well  as  when-  you  was  here."  Pope  to  Swiit,  P.  S.  to 
letter  56.  On  the  contrary,  the  Solemn  St}  le- admits  not 
4*f  You  for  a  Single  Perfon.  This  hath  led  Mr.  Pope  into 
a  great  impropriety  in  the  beginning  of  his  Mefliah  : 

li  O  T/k;u  my  voice  infpire 
Who  toueb'd  Ifaiah's  hallowed  lips  with  Ere  \n 

The  Solemnity  ®f  t.he;  Style  would  not  admit  of  You  for 
T/»ou  in  the  Pronoun  ;  nor  the  meafure  of  the  Verfe  touch" 
cdft,  or  dldjl  Joucb,  in  the  Verb;,  as  it  indifpenfibly  ought 
to  be,  in  the  one  or  the  other  of  thefe  two  forms  ;  You  who 
touched  y  or -Thou  who  toucbedJ}>  or  didji  touch. 

"  What  art  thou,  fpeak,  that  on  defigns  unknown, 
While  others  fleep,  thus  range  the  eamp  alone  V9 

Pope's  Iliad,  x.  90V 

"  Accept  thefe  grateful  tears;  for  thee  they  flow  : 
For  theeythat  ever  felt  another's  wee." 

Ib.  xix.  319. 

"  Faultlefs  thou  draft  from,  this  unerring  fkill." 

Dr.  Arburthnot,  Dodfley's  Poems,  vol*  1.. 

Again  : 

"  Juft:  of  thy  word,  in  every  thought  fincere, 
Who  knew  no  wifh  but  what  the  world  might  hear." 

Pope,  Epitaph- 
It  ought  to  be  your  in  the  firft  line,  or  knewejl'm  the  fe* 
cond. 

In  order  to  avoid  this  Grammatical  inconvenience,  the 
two  diftind  forms  of  Thou  and  Tou  are  often  ufed  promif- 
cuoufly  by  our  modern  Potts,  in  the  fame  Poem,  in  the  fame 


TO  ENGLISH    GRAMMAR.  41 
Future  Time, 
i.  I  (hall,  or  will,  *)  We    ")  (hall 


3 


,  I  (hall,  or  will,            *)            We  }  (hall 

Thou  (halt,  or  wilt[o],  Uave  ;  Ye  \ox  will, 
He  (hall,-  or  will,        J            They  J  have. 

Imperative  Mode. 

Let  me  have  Let  us  have 

Have  thou,  Have  ye,  or, 

or,  Do  thou  have  £>°>e  have 

Let  him  have  Let  them  have. 

Subjunctive  Mode* 
Prefent  Time. 

I                 I  We  1 

Thou            Uiave;  Ye  J»have, 

J  They  J 


1 

2 

3-  He 


0C0fi«»C»»M 


Paragraph,  and  even  in  the  fame  Senteace  ;  very  inelegantly 
and  improperly  : 

"  Now,  now  I  fevze,  I  clafp  thy  charms  ; 
And  now  you  buift,  ah  cruel  i  from  my  arms." 

Popeo 

[8]  Hatb  properly  belongs  to  the  ferious  and  folemn 
ftyle  ;  bas,  to  the  familiar.  The  fame  may  be  obfereed  of 
ilotb  and  does. 

w  But,  confounded  with  thy  art, 

Inquires  her  name,  that  bas  his  heart."  Waller* 

4t  Th'  unwearied  Sun  from  day  to  <lay 

Does  his  Creator's  pow'r  difplay."  Addifon. 

The  nature  of  the  ftyle,  as  well  as  the  harmony  of  the  verfe; 
items  to  require  in  thefe  places  batb  and  doth. 

[9]  The  Auxiliary  Verb  will  is  always  thus  formed  in 
the  fecond  and  third  Perfons  fingular  ;  but  the  Verb  to  will, 
j&o;  being  an  Auxiliary,  is  formed  regularly  in  thofe  Ter? 

D  % 


4*  A  SHORT  INTRODUXTIOft 

Infinitive  Mode. 
Prefent,  To  kave  :  Part,  To  have  had. 

Participle. 

Prefent,  Having  :  Perfed,  [i]  Had  : 

Paft,  Having  had. 

T  O    B  E. 
Indicative  Mood. 
Prefent  Time. 

1.  lam  We  Tf 

2.  Thou  art  Ye  >are» 

3.  He  is  They  J 


Or, 

J.I  be  We 

2.  Thou  beefl  Yc 

3.  He  is  [2]  They 

■fnafWfoir 


fons  r  I  will.  Thou  willejl)  He  willeth)  or  wUlsi  M  Thouy 
that  art  the  author  and  beftower  of  life,  canft  doubtlefs  re* 
(lore  it  alfo,  if  thou  will' ft)  and  when  thou  will1  ft  :  but  whe-- 
ther thou  wUVft  [wilt]  pleafe  to  reftore  it,  or  not,  that  Thou 
alone  knowefL"  Atterbury,  Semi.  I.  7. 

[1]  This  Participle  reprefents  the  a&ion  as  complete  and 
finiJTied  ;  and,  being  fubjoined  to  the  Auxiliary  to  baver 
conftitutes  the  Perfect  Time  :  I  call  it  therefore  the  Perfect: 
Participle.  The  lame  fubjoined  to  the  Auxiliary  to  fc,  con- 
ftitutes the  PafTive  Verb  :  and  in  that  ftate,  or  when  ufed 
without  the  Auxiliary,  inapafiive  fenfe,  is  called  the  PafT- 
ive Participle. 

[2]  "  1  think  it  be  thine  indeed    for  tho,u  liefl  in  it-'*" 

Shakefpear,  Hamlet* 

Be)  in  the  Singular  Number  of  this  Time  and  Mode,  efpe- 
eiall'y  in  the  Third  perfon,  is  obfolete  \  and  is  become  fome* 
what  antiquated  in  tjie 


tO  ENGLISH   GRAMMAR,  4g 
Part  Time. 

.  I  was  We  1 

.  Thou  waft  Ye  >>were» 

.  He  was  They  J 

Futare  Time. 

i.I  mall,  or  will       1  We  l*al^ 

2.  Thoa  (halt,  or  wilt  J>be ;    Ye  >>dr  will 

j.  He  fhall  or  will     j  They         J  be. 

Imperative  Mode. 

1.  Let  me  be  Let  tfs  be* 

2.  Be  thou  Be  ye1  i 

or,  Do  thoa  be  or,  Do*  you  be 

3.  Let  him  be  Let  them  be 

Subjunctive  Mode,- 
Prefent  Time. 

1.  I  "1  We 

2.  Thou 
cr.  He 


")  We  i 

M>e;  Ye  ^be* 

J  They  J 


Paft  Time. 

i.  I  were  We 
2r  Thou  wert  [3]  Ye  £>werei 

3.  Me  were  They 


Infinitive  Mode. 
Prefent,  To  be  ;  Paft,  to  have  been. 

Participle. 

Prefent,  Being;  Perfect,  Been} 

Paft,  Having  been. 


l3l  *  Before  the  fcn, 

*  Before  the  heav-ns  thou  w*r/»"  MUtom 


44  A  SHORT  INTRODUCTION 

The  Verb  Active  is  thus  varied  according  to  Perfcn, 
Number,  Time,  and  Mode. 

Indicative  Mode. 

Prefcnt  Time. 

Sing.  Plur. 

£     i.I  love  We  1 

2.  Thou  lovefl  Ye  Vloye. 

|J     3.  He  loveth,  or  loves ;  They  J 


Pa  ft  Time. 

1.  I  loved  We 

2.  Thou  lovedft  Ye  J- loved. 

3.  He  loved  They 

Future  Time. 

1.  I  mail  or  will       ?]  We    "|  (hall, 

2.  Thou  (halt,  or  wilt  ^>love;  Ye      £>or  will 

3.  He  mall,  or  will  J  They  j  love 

eootooooooet 


a  Remember  what  thou  wett?*  Dryden. 

ic  I  knew  thou  wert  not  flow  to  hear."  Addifon, 

"  Thou  who  of  old  ivert  fent  to  lfrael's  cofcrt."  Prion 

u  All  this  thou  wert."  •  Pope. 

€<  Thou,  Stella,  wert  no  longer  young, 
When  firft  for  thee  my  harp  1  flrung.  Swift. 

Shall  we,  in  deference  to  thefe  great  authorities,  alJov/ 
wart  to  be  the  fame  with  waft,  and  common  to  the  Indica- 
tive and  Subjunctive  Mode  ?  or  rather  abide  by  the  practice 
of  our  befl  ancient  writers  ;  the  propriety  of  the  language, 
which  requires,  as  far  as  may  be,  diflincl:  forms  for  different 
Modes  ;  and  the  analogy  of  formation  in  each  Mode  ;  I 
nvasy  Thou  waft ;  I  were,  Thou  wcrt  :  all  which  confpire 
to  make  wtrt  peculiar  to  the  Subjunctive  Mode. 


•3*0  ENGLISH  GRAMMAR,  r  4^ 
Imperative  Mode. 

1.  Let  me  love  Let  us  love  *  1 

2.  Love  thou  Love  ye 

or,  Do  thou  love  or,  Do  ye  lov& 

3.  Let  him  love  Let  them  love 

SubjuncYive  Mode. 
Prefent  Time. 

1.  T             H                 We  1 

2.  Thou          >Iove;          Ye  )>love 

3.  He  love    J-                 They  J 

And, 

t.  I  may  We  may  love  ; 

2.  Thou  may  eft  >!dve;  Ye  )>  and 

3.  He  may        J  They  J  have  loved  [4] 

PaftTime. 

1.  I  might          "1            We  might  love; 

2.  Thou  mighteft   £>love;    Ye  and 

3.  He  might       J  .         They  J  have  loved  [4] 

And, 

I  could,  fhould,  would  ;  Thou  cculdft,  &c.  love  ;  and  have 
loved. 


0000  >cx»  oood 


*  The  other  form  of  the  8f#  Perfon  Plural  of  the  Imp*- 
rative,  love  <we,  is  grown  obfolete. 

[4]  Mote,  That  the  Imperfect  and  Perfect  Times  are 
here  put  together.  And  it  is  to  be  obferved,  that  in  the 
Subjunctive  Mode,  the  event  being  fpoken  of  under  a  con- 
dition, or  fuppofiiion,  or  in  the  form  of  a  wiffy  and  there- 
fore as  doubtful  and  contingent,  the  Verb  itfelf  in  the  Pre- 
fent, and  the  Auxiliary  both  of  the  Prefent  and  Part  Im- 
perfect Times,  often  carry  with  them  fomewhat  of  a  ftu 
ture  fenfe  :  as,  "  If  he  come  to-morrow,  I  may  fpeak 
:o  him  :"— — If  he  mould,  or  would,  come  to-mor- 
:  *<iw,  1  might,  would,,  could,  or  ihould,  foeak  to  him*"  Oj* 


46  A   SHORT  INTRODUCTION 


Infinitive  Mode. 
Prefent,  To  love  ;  Part,  to  have  loved. 

Participle. 

Prefentj  loving  ;     Perfect,  Loved  ;     Part,  Having  loved. 

Indefinite,  or  Undetermined,  Time : 
Prefent,  Pair,  Future, 

I  love  ;  I  loved  ;  I  (hall  love. 

Definite,  or  Determined  Time» 

Prefent  Imperfect  :  I  am  (now)  loving. 
Prefent  Perfect  :  I  have  (now)  loved. 

Fad  Imperfect  :  I  was  (then)  loving. 
Pad  Perfect :  I  had  (then)  loved. 

Future  Imperfect: :  I  fhall  ( then  )  be  loving. 
Future  Perfect  :  I  (hall  (then)  have  loved. 

It  is  needlefs  here  to  fet  down  at  large  the  feveral  Varia- 
tions of  the  Definite  Times ;  as  they  confift  only  in  the  pro- 
per Variations  of  the  Auxiliary,  joined  to  the  Prefent  or 
Peifect  Participle,  which  have  already  been  given. 

To  exprefs  the  Prefent  and  Pad  Imperftct  or  the  Active 
and  Neuter  V ero,  the  Auxiliary  do  is  fometimes  ufed  :  1  de 
(  now  )  love  \  \  did  (then)  love. 

Thus  with  very  little  variation  of  the  principal  Verb,  the 
feveral  circumdances  of  Mode  and  'l  ime  are  clearly  ex- 
preiTed  by  the  help  of  the  Auxiliaries,  be,  have,  do,  let, 
may,  can,  JJmd,  will* 

The  peculiar  force  of  the  feveral  Auxiliaries  13  to  be  ob- 
ferved.    Do  and  did  mark  the  Action  itfelf,  or  the  Time  of 


ferve  alfo,  that  the  Auxiliaries  Jljould  and  would  in  the  Im- 
perfect Times,  are  ufed  to  exprefs  the  Prefent  and  Future 
as  well  as  the  Pad;  as,  "  It  is  my  defire,  that  be  JJjould, 
or  would,  come  now,  or  to-morrow  as  well  as,  "  It  was 
my  delire,  that  he  Jljould,  or  would  come  yefterday"  So 
that  in  this  Mode  the  precife  1  ime  of  the  Verb  is  very 
much  determined  by  the  nature  and  drift  of  the  Sentence* 


TO  ENGLISH   GRAMMAR.  4? 

l  it,  [5]  with  greater  force  and  diftincYion.  They  are  alfo  of 
frequent  and  almoft  neceffary  ufe  in  Interrogative  and  Nega- 
tive Sentences.  They  fometimes  alfo  fupply  the  place  of 
another  Verb,  and  make  the  repetition  of  it,  in  the  fame  or 
a  fubfequent  fenttnce,  unneceffary  ;  as, 

"  He  loves  not  plays, 
As  thou  dojtj  Antony."    Shake fpear,  Jul.  Gaef. 

Let  does  not  only  exprefs  permiffion,  but  praying,  exhort- 
ing, commanding.  May  and  might  exprefs  the  poffibility 
or  liberty  of  doing  a  thing  ;  can  and  c  Quid,  the  power.  Mufi 
is  fometimes  called  in  for  a  helper,  and  denotes  neceffity. 
Will  in  the  firft  perfon  fingular  and  plural,  promifes  or  threat-  N 
ens ;  in  the  fecond  and  third  perfons  only  foretells  ;  Jljall  on 
the  contrary,  in  the  firft  perfon  fimply  foretells ;  in  the  fe- 
-cond  and  third  perfons  promifes,  commands,  or  threatens  [6] 
But  this  muft  be  underftood  of  Explicative  fentences  ;  for 
when  the  fentence  is  Interrogative,  juft  the  reverfe  for  the 
moft  part  takes  place  :  Thus,  u  I  /ball  go  ;  you  will  go;5' 
exprefs  event  only  :  but,  will  you  go  ?"  imports  intention-  5 

•COCfcOOCCOeO 

[<;]  H  Perdition  catch  my  foul 

~But  I  do  love  thee  !— — " 

"  This  to  me 

In  dreadful  fecrecy  impart  they  did.11  Shakefpear* 

"  Die  he  certainly  did,*1    Sherlock,  Vol-  I.  Difc.  7. 

"  Yes,  I  did  love  her i"  that  is,  at  that  time,  or  once  ; 
intimating  a  negation,  or  doubt,  of  prefent  love. 

u  The  'Lord  called  Samuel  :  and  he  ran  unto  Eli,  and 

faid,  Here  ami,  for  thou  calledjl  me.  -And  the  Lord 

called  yet  again,  Samuel.  And  Samuel  arofe  and  went  to 
'Eli,  -and  faid,  Here  am  J,  for  thou  did]}  call  me." 

'  1  Sam.  iii.  4 — 6. 

[6]  This  diftincYion  was  not  obferved  formerly  as  to  the 
word  Jljall,  which  was  ufed  in  the  fecond  and  third  perfon s5 
to  exprefs  fimply  the  Event*  So  like  wife  JJjould  was  ufed, 
where  we  now  make  ufe  of  would*  See  the  Vulgar  Trans- 
lation of  the  Bible, 


A  SHORT  INTRODUCTlStf 

and,  "  Jljall  I  go?"  refers  to  the  will  of  another.  Butagaifi, 
«  he  Jball  go,1  and,  "  jhall  he  go?"  both  imply  will,  ex- 
prefling  or  referring  to  a  command.  Would  primarily  de- 
notes inclination  of  will  ;  und  Jbduld,  obligation  :  but  they 
both  vary  their  import,  and  are  often  ufed  to  exprefs  fimple* 
event. 

Do  and  bake  make  the  prefent  time  ;  di d,  bad,*  the  paft ; 
flail,  wilt)  the  Future  :  let  is  employed  in  forming  the  Im- 
perative Mode  ;  miy,  mighty  could,  would,  fiiould,  in 
forming  the  Subjunctive.  The  Prepofition  to  placed  before 
the  Verb  makes  the  Infinitive  Mode.  [7]    Have,  through 


toweooeooo 

[*]  It  has  been  very  lightly  obferved,  that  the  Verb  b.ld, 
in  the  common  phrafe,  I  bad  rather,  is  not  properly  11  fed  j 
either  as  an  AdYive  or  as  an  Auxiliary  Verb  ;  that,  being  in 
the  Paft  Time,  it  carmot  in  this  cafe  be  properly  expreflive  or 
Time  Prefent ;  and  that  it  is  by  ne  means  reducible  to  any 
Grammatical  conduction.  In  truth,  it  feems  to  have  arifen 
fr.ora  a  mere  miftake,  in  refolving  the  famiriar  and  ambiguous 
abbreviation,  I'd  rather,  into  I  had  rather,  infteafl  of  I 
would  rather;  which  latter  is  the.  regular  analogous  and 
proper  expreftion.  See  Two  Grammatical  Efiays,  London, 
1768.  Effayi. 

[7]  Bifhop  Wilkins  gives  the^  following  elegant  invefti- 
gation  of  the  Modes,  in  his  Pveal  Character,  part  iii.  Chap  5. 

"  To  fhew  in  what  maimer  the  fubject  is  to  be  joined 
with  his  predicate,  the  Copula  between  them  is  affected  with 
a  Particle,  which  from  the  ufe  of  it  is  called  Modus,  tke 
manner  or  Mode* 

Now  the  Subject  and  Predicate  may  be  joined  together 
either  Simply,  or  with  fome  kind  of  Limitation  ;  and  ac- 
cordingly thefe  modes  are  Primary  or  Secondary. 

The  Primary  Modes  are  called  by  Grammarians  Indica- 
tive and  Imperative. 

When  the  matter  is  declared  to  be  fo,  or  at  leafl  when  it 
feems  in  the  fpeaker's  power  to  have  it  be  fo,  as  the  bare 
Union:  of  Subject  and  Predicate  would  import,  then  the  Co- 


TO  ENGLISH   GRAMMA*.  49 

iis  feveral  Modes  and  Times,  is  placed  only  before  the  Per- 
fect Participle  ;  and  be,  in  like  manner,  before  the  Prefent 
and  PaiTive  Participles  :  the  reft  only  before  the  Verb,  or 
another  Auxiliary  in  its  Primary  Form. 

When  an  Auxiliary  is  joined  to  the  Verb,  the  Auxiliary- 
goes  through  all  the  variations  of  Perfon  and  Number,  and 


soe*ecM:ooa 


pufa  Is  Hakedly  exprefTed  without  any  variation  :  and  this 
manner  of  expreffing  it  is  called  the  Indicative  Mode. 

When  it  is  neither  declared  to  be  fo,  nor  feems  to  be  im- 
mediately in  the  fpeaker's  power  to  have  it  fo ;  then  he  can 
(Jo  no  more  in  words  but  make  out  the  expreflion  of  his  will 
to  him  that  hath  the  thing  in  his  power ;  namely  to 
f  fuperior^  f  Petition,  ^ 

his  <^    Equal     J>  by  <    Perfuafion,  £>And  the 
^  Inferior  J  ^  Command.  J 

manner  of  thefe  affecYmg  the  Copula.  Be  it  fo,  or,  Let  it 
be  fo,  is  called  the  Imperative  Mode  ;  of  which  there  are 
thefe  three  varieties  very  fit  to  be  diftinclly  provided  for.. 
As  for  that  other  ufe  01  the  Imperative  Mode,  when  it  fig- 
nifies  Perrnlfflon  ;  this  may  be  fufficiently  expreffed  by  the 
Secondary  Mode  of  Liberty  ;  You  may  do  it. 

The  Secondary  Modes  are  fuch,  as,  when  the  Copula  is 
affected  with  any  of  them,  make  the  fentence  to  be  (as  Lo- 
gicians call  it)  a  Modal  Propofition* 

This  happens,  when  the  matter  in  dilcourSe^  namely,  the 
being,  or  doing,  or  fuffering  of  a  thing,  is  considered,  not  * 
Jimply  by  it/elf,  but  gradually  in  its  caufes%  from  which 
it  proceeds  either  contingently,  or  neczjfarily. 

Then  a  thing  feems  to  be  left  as  Contingent,  when  the 
Speaker  £xpre!Tes  only  the  PoJJlbility  of  it,  or  his  own  Li- 
berty to  it. 

1.  The  Pojfibility  of  a  thing  depends  upon  the  power  of 
its  caufe  ;  and  may  be  expreffed, 

*hen  IcondkLl}  h?  the  Particle  IcoSl'd. 


50  A  SHORT  INTRODUCTION 

the  Verb  itfelf  continues  invariably  the  fame-  When  there 
are  two  or  more  Auxiliaries  joined  to  the  Verb,  the  firfl  of 
them  only  is  7aried  according  to  Peifon  and  Number,  The 
Auxiliary  mufi  admits  of  no  variation. 

The  Paffive  Verb  is  only  the  Participle  Paflive,  (which 
for  the  moft  part  is  the  fame  with  the  Indefinite  paft  time 
AcYive,  and  always  the  fame  with  the  perfect  Participle) 
joined  to  the  Auxiliary  Verb  to  be,  through  all  its  Variati- 
ons ;  as,  I  am  loved  ;  I  ivas  loved  ;  1  have  been  loved  ; 
I  JJjall  be  loved  ;  and  fo  on,  through  all  the  Perfonsj  the 
Numbers,  the  Times,  and  the  Modes. 

The  Neuter  Verb  is  varied  like  the  AcYrve ;  but  having 
fomewhat  of  the  Nature  of  ihe  Paflive,  admits  in  many  in- 
ftances  of  the  Paflive  form,  retaining  (till  the  Neuter  figni- 
fication  ;  chiefly  in  fuch  Verbs  as  fignify  foine  fort  of  mo- 
tion, or  change  of  place  or  condition :  a3,  I  am  come  ;  I 


co*ecooo!io»oooeo 


2.  The  Liberty  of  a  thing  depends  upon  a  freedom  from 
all  obftacles  either  wichin  or  without,  and  is  ufually  exprelTed 
in  our  language 

Then  a  thing  feems  to  be  of  Kecefflty,  when  the  Speaker 
cxprefleth  the  resolution  of  his  own  will,  or  fome  other  Qb« 
ligation  upon  him  from  without. 

3.  The  Inclination  ef  the  Will  is  expreifed, 

J  Abfolute    T.     .    „    .  .    C  Will, 
-tf  I  Conditional/^       Partlde  j  Would. 

4.  The  Neceflity  of  a  thing  from  fome  external  Obliga- 
tion, whether  Natural  or  Moral,  which  we  call  Duty,  is 
exprefjed, 

<  Abfolute     I  ,  Particle  '$  Mu{>>  °"ght>  &M  * 

r  I  Conditional  ^y  the  Fai  ttqle  £  Muftj  0l?g6ht>  q^,, 

See  alfo  Hermss,  Book  1.  Chap,  viii. 


TO  ENGLISH  GRAMMAR.  $g 

was  gene  :  I  am  grown  ;  I  was  fallen.  [8]  The  Verb 
am,  was,  in  this  cafe  precifely  defines  the  Time  of  the  ac- 
tion or  event,  but  does  not  change  the  nature  of  it ;  the 
Paflive  form  ftiil  expreffing,  not  properly  a  Paflion,  but  onlj 
a  ftate  or  condition  of  Being* 

IRREGULAR 


[&]  I  doubt  much  of  the  propriety-  of  the  following  ex« 
amples ; 

Cl  The  rules  of  our  holy  Religion,  from  which  we  are  in- 
finitely fwerved"  Tillotfon,  Vol.  I.  Serm.  27.  u  The 
whoh  obligation  of  that  law  and  covenant,  which  God  made 
with  the  Jews,  was  alfo  ceafed."  ib.  Vol.  1L  Sermon  52. 
"  Whofe.  number  was  now  amounted  to  three  hundred." 
Swift,  ContelU  "and  DiiTentions,  Chap-  3.  "  This  Maref- 
chal,  upon  fome  difcontent,  was  entered  into  a  confpiracy 
againft  his  matter."  Addifon,  Freeholder,  No.  31.  "  At 
the  end  of  a  Campaign,  when  half  the  men  are  deferted  or 
killed."    Addifon,  Tatler  No.  42. 

Neuter  Verbs  are  fome  times  employed  very  improperly  as 
Aftives  :  "  Go,  flee  thee  away  into  the  land  of  Judah.'* 
Amos,  Vii.  i2,  il  I  think  it  by  no  meas  a  fit  and  decent 
thing  to  vie  cbaritie s ,  and  erect  the  reputation  of  one  up- 
on the  ruins  of  another."  Atterbury,  Vol.  I.  Sermon  z* 
"  So  many  learned  men,  that  have  fpent  their  whole  time 
and  pains  to  agree  the  Sacred  with  the  "frophane  Chrono- 
logy."   Sir  William  Temple,  Works,  Fol.  Vol.  I.  p.  295. 

"  How  would  the  Gods  my  righteous  toils  fucceed?" 

Pope,  OdylT.  xiv«  447. 

If  Jove  this  arm  fucceed."  Ibid.xxi.  219* 

And  Active  Verbs  are  as  improperly  made  Neuter ;  as, 
M  I  muft  premife  with  three  circumftances."    Swift,  Q. 
Anne's  Lafl ;  Miniftry,  Chap.  2.     "  Thofe  that  think  to 
ingratiate  with  him,  by  calumniating  me."    Bentley,  Dif- 
fers on  Phalaris,  p.  519, 


5- 


A  SHORT  iNf RODUCTlOTi' 


IRREGULAR  VERBS, 

IN  Englifh,  both  ibe  Paft  Time  Active  and  the  Partici- 
ple Perfect,  or  Paffive,  are  formed  by  adding  to  the 
-Verb  ed  ;  or  d  only,  when  the  Verb  ends  in  t ;  as,  turn, 
turned;  hvc9  loved*  The  Verbs  that  vary  from  this  rule, 
in  either  or  in  both  cafes,  are  efteemed  Irregular.1 

The  nature  of  our  language,  the  accent  and  pronunciation 
of  it,  inclines  us  to  contract  even  all  our  Regular  Verbs: 
'thus  I  eve  d,  turned,  are  commonly  pronounced  in  one  fyl- 
lable,  ZcV</,  turned ;  and  the  fecond  perfon,  which  was 
originally  in  three  fyllabJes,  lovedfji,  turnedeji^  is  become 
a  difly  liable,  lovedJI,  turncdji ;  for  as  we  generally  throw 
the  accert  as  far  back  as  poflible  towards  the  firft  part  of  the 
word  (in  fome  even  to  the  fourth  fy liable  from  the  end)  the 
ftrefs  being  laid  on  the  firft  f)  llables,  the  reft  are  pronounced 
in  a  lower  tone,  more  rapidly  and  indiflinctly ;  and  fo  are 
often  either  wholly  dropt,  or  blended  into  one  another. 

It  fometimes  happens  alfo,  that  the  word  which  arifeS 
from  a  regular  change,  does  not  found  eafily  or  agreeably  ; 
fometimes  by  the  rapidity  of  our  pronunciation  the  vowels 
are  fhortened  or  loft  ;  and  the  confonants  which  are  thrown 
together  do  not  eafily  coalefce  with  one  another,  and  are 
therefore  changed  into  others  of  the  fame  organ,  or  of  a  kin- 
fired  fpecies.  This  occafions  a  further  deviation  from  the 
jcgular  form;  thus,  lovetb,  turnetb,  are  contracted  into 
lov'tb,  turn' thy  and  thefe  for  eafier  pronunciation  immedi- 
ately become  love*,  turns. 

Verbs  ending  in  cb>  ck,  p,  oc,  Js>  in  the  Paft  Time 
Sidlive,  and  the  Participle  perfect  or  paffive,  admit  the  change 
©f  ed  into  t ;  as,  [*]  fnatcbt,  cbeckt,  fnaft,  mixt>  drop- 

•00000003009 

[*]  Some  of  thefe  Contractions  are  harfli  and  difagrce- 
able  :  and  it  were  better,  if  they  were  avoided  and  difufed  : 
but  they  prevail  in  common  difcourfe,  and  are  admitted  into 
Poetry  ;  which  latter  indeed  cannot  well  do  without  them. 


TO  ENGLISH  GRAMMAR. 


53 


ping  alfo  one  of  the  double  letters,  dwelt,  pajli  for  fnatcb- 
ed,  checked,  flapped,  mixed,  dwelled,  pajfed  :  thdfe  that 
end  in  /,  m,  n,  p,  after  a  diphthong,  moreover  fhorten  the 
diphthong,  or  change  it  into  a  (ingle  fhort  vowel  ;  as  dsalt^ 
dreamt,  meant,  felt,  flept,  &c.  all  for  the  fame  reafon  ; 
from  the  quicknefs  of  the  pronunciation,  and  becaufe  the  d 
after  a  fhort  vowel  will  not  eafily  coalefce  with  the  preced- 
ing confonant.  Thofe  that  end  in  ve  change  alfo  v  miof; 
as>  bereave,  bereft :  leave,  left  ;  becaufe  like  wife  v  after 
a  fhort  vowel,  will  not  eafily  coalefce  with  r.  . 

All  thefe,  of  which  I  have  hitherto  given  examples,  are 
coiifidered  not  as  irregular,  but  as  contracted  only;  and  in 
mod  ©f  them  the  intire  as  well  as  the  contracted  form  is  ufed; 
and  the  intire  form  is. generally  to  be.  preferred  to  the  con- 
tracted* . 

The  formation  of  Verbs  in.  Englifh,  botk  regular  and  ir- 
regular, is  derived  from  the  Saxon. 

The  Irregular  Verbs  in  Englifti  are  all  Monofyllahles,  un- 
lefs  compounded ;  and  they  are  for  the  moft  part  the  fame 
words  which  are  Irregular  Verbs  in' the  Saxon. 

As  all  our -Regular  Verbs  are  fubject  to  fome  kind  of  cos- 
traction,  fo  the  firft  Clafs  of  Irregulars  is  of  thofe  that  be^ 
cams.  fo.  from  the  fame  caufe>  . 

r.L 

Irregulars  by  Contraction.  . 

Some  Verbs"  ending  in '  d  or  t  have  the  Prefent,  the  Paft 
Time,  and  the  Participle  Perfect  and  PafTive,  all  alike, 
■without  any -variation  :  as,  Beat,  burfl,  [9]  caft,  [i.]cofr? 

[9]  Thefe  two.  have  alfo  beaten  and  burjien  in.  the  Par- 
ticiple ;  and  in  that  farm  they  belong  to  the  Third  Clafs  of 
Irregulars. 

[1}  Shakefpear  ufes  the  Participle  in  the  Regular  form: 
E  z 


54  A  SHOUT  IffTRODirCTtOtf 

cut,  heat,  •  [2]  hit,  hurt,  knit,  let,  lift,  •  light,  *  [3]  put, 
quit,  •  read,  [4]  rent,  rid,  fet,  fhed,  fhred,  (hut,  flit,  fpilt, 
[5]  fpread,  thruft,  wet.  * 

Thefe  are  Contractions  from  heated)  burfted,  cafledj  &c. 
becaufe  of  the  difagreeabk  found  of  the  fyllable  ed  after  d 
©r  /.  [6] 

And  when  the  mind  is  quicken'd,  out  of  doubt 
The  organs,  tho'  defunct  and  dead  before, 
Break  up  their  drowfie  grave,  and  newly  move 
With  cajted  flough,  and  frefti  celerity 

Hen.  V. 

The  Verbs  marked  thus  *  throughout  the  three  Gaffes 
•f  Irregulars,  have  the  Regular  as  well  as  the  Irregular  form 
in  ufe. 

[2]  "  He  commanded,  that  they  fhould  heat  the  furnace 
one  feven  times  more  than  it  was  wont  to  be  beats* 

Dan.  iii.  19. 

[3]  This  Verb  in  the  Paft  Time  and  Participle  is  pro- 
nounced fhort,  light)  or  lit ;  but  the  regular  form  is  prefer- 
able, and  prevails  moft  in  writing* 

[4]  This  Verb  in  the  Paft  Time  and  Participle  is  pro- 
nounced fhort ;  read)  red)  red  ;  like  lead)  led)  led  ;  and 
perhaps  ought  to  be  written  in  this  manner  ;  ©ur  ancient 
writers  fpe It  it  redde. 

[5]  Shakefpear  ufes  the  Participle  in  the  Regular  form  « 

«  That  felf  hand, 
Which  writ  his  honour  in  the  acls  it  did, 
Hath,  with  the  courage  which  the  heart  did  lend  it, 
Splitted  the  heart  itfelf  "  Ant.  and  Cleop. 

[6]  They  follow  the  Saxon  rule  :  u  Verbs  which  in  the 
Infinitive  end  in  dan  or  ra«,M  (that  is,  in  Englifh,  dmdt; 
for  an  is  only  the  Chara&eriftic  termination  of  the  Saxon 
Infinitive)  "  in  the  Preterit  and  Participle  Preterit  com* 
inonly,  for  the  fake  of  better  found  throw  away  the  final  edt 


TO  ENGLISH  GRAMMAR. 

Others  in  the  Paft  Time,  and  Participle  Perfect  and  Paff- 
ive,  vary  a  little  from  the  prefent  by  (hortening  the  diph- 
thong, or  changing  the  d  into  t :  as,  Lead,  led;fweat,  fwet  ;£*] 
meet,  met ;  bleed,  bled ;  breed,  bred ;  feed,  fed  ;  fpeed, 
fped  ;  bend,  bent;  *  lend,  lent;  rend,  rent;  fend,  fent ; 
fpend,  fpent;  build,  built;  *  geld,  gelt;  *  gild, -gilt;  * 
gird,  girt ;  lofe,  loft. 

Others  not  ending  in  d  or  /  are  formed  by  Contraction  ;  . 
have  bad,  for  baved  ;  make,  madeyiox  makedj  flee,  fied% 
iorfie-ed;  (hoe,  Jhod,  for  jljoe-cd.' 

The  following,  befide  the  Contraction,  change,  alfo  th* 
Vowel :  Sell,  fold ;  tell,  told  ;  clothe,  clad.  •  ' 

Stand,  ftood  ;  and  dare,  durft  (which  in  the  Participle 
hath  regularly  dared)  are  directly  from  the  Saxon,  Jian* 
dan,  Jiod  i  dyrran,  der/ie*  * 

II, 

[Irregulars- in  g bt*  * 

The  Irregulars  of  the  Second  Clafe  end  in  gbt,  both  in  , 
the  Paft  Time  and  Participle ;  and  change  the  vowel  or 
diphthong  into  au  or  ou  :  they  are  taken  from  the  Saxon*.  , 
in  which  the  termination  is  btc* 


*9)  beot,  afed,  (both  in  the  Preterit  and  Participle  Prete^ 
rit)  for  heated,  afeded  ;  from  beotan,  afsdtn."  Hickes, 
Grammat.  Saxon.  Cap.  iv.    So  the  fame  Verbs  in-EngUfib,.^ 
beat,  fed,  inftead  of  beated,  feedei* 

[*]  "  How  the  drudging  goblin  fwet.'* 

Milton,  Allegro. 

Shakefpear  ufes  fivcaten,  ?s  the  Participle  of  this  Verb  : 

"  Greafe  that's  fiveaten 
From  the  murtherer's  gibbet,  throw."  Macbeth, 

In  this  form  it  belongs  to  the  Third  Oafs  ot  Irregular* 


A   SHORT  INTRODUCTION 


Saxon. 


Bring, 

brought  i 

Bringan, 

brohte* 

.nuy, 

bought  i 

Bycegean, 

bohte. 

caught  i 
,uub,u  •  L/J 

Fieht, 

Ff  nfan 

1  uiiu 

Teach, 

taught : 

Tsechan, 

tsht. 

Think, 

thought  : 

Thenchan, 

thohte 

Seek, 

iought  : 

Secan, 

fohte. 

Work, 

wrought  : 

Weorcan, 

worhte. 

Fraught  feems  rather  to  be  an  Adjective  than  the  Parti 
ciple  of  the  Verb  to  freight,  which  has  regularly  freighted*.. 
Raught  from  reach  is  .obfolete.  t 


IH.  . 


Irregulars  in  en.  . 

Th6  Irregulars  of  the  Third  Clafs  form  the  Part  Time  by  * 
changing  the  vowel  or  diphthong  of  the  Prefent ;  and  the 
Participle  Perfedl  and  Paflive  by  adding  the  termination  . 
€«,  be  fide,  for  the  mod  part,  the  change  of  the  vowel  or  - 
diphthong     Thefe  alfo  derive  their  formation  in  both  parts  i 


from  the  Saxon... 

Prefent.  Paft.  ,  Participle.. . 

a  changed  into  \  e 

Fall,  fell,'  fallen. 

a       into  i  o, 

Awake,  awoke,*  [awaked.]  ~ 

a       into  -  co, 

Foifake,  forfaok,  forfaken... 


aoooaoo* 


[7]  u  As  in  this  glorious  and  well  foughten  £eld 
We  kept  together  in  our  chivalry." 

Shake fpear,  Hen.  W 

"  On  the  foughten  field  : 
Michael,  and  his  Angels,  prevalent, 
Encamping,  plac'd  in  guard  their  watches  round." 

Milton,  F,  L-  VI. 


TO  ENGLISH'  GRAMMAR'. 


SI 


Shake,  fhook,  fhaken  [8] 

Take,  took,  taken. 

aw       into  ew, 

Draw,  drew,  drawn.  [9] 

ay       into  iwy 

Slay,  flew,  flayn.  [9] 

e         into  a  or  0  0. 

Get,  gat,  or  got,  gotten. 

Help,  [helped,]  [f}  helper).* 

Melt,  [melted,]  molten.* 

Swell,  [fwclled,]  fwollen.* 

ea       into  a  or  0. 

Eat,  ate,  eaten. 

0. 

Bear,  bare,      or  bore,  born. 

Break,  brake,    or  broke,  broken. 

Cleave,  clave,     or  clove,*  cloven,  or  cleft* 

Speak,  fpake,     or  fpoke,  fpoke  n. 

Swear,  .  fware,    or  f wore,  fworn* 


This  Participle  fccm»  not  agreeable  to  the  -Analogy  of 
derivation,  which  ob:ains  in  this  Glafs  of  Verbs- 

[8]  «  A  fly  and  conftant  knave,  not  to  be  fiak'd  ft 

Shakefpear,  Cymb* 

"  Wert  thou  fome  fhr,  that  from  the  ruin'd  roof 
Of  JJjak'd  Olympus  by  mifchance  did  fall.'' 

Milton's  Poems. 

The  Regular  farm  of  the  Participles  in  thefe  places  is  im- 
proper. 

[9]  When  en  follows  a  Vowel  or  Liquid,  the  e  is  drop* 
ped  :  fo  drawn,  flayn,  (or  Jlatn,)  are  inftead  of  drawn, 
Jlayen  ;  folikewife  known,  born,  are  for  knoweny  boren? 
in  the  Saxon  cnaweny  boren  :  and  fo  of  the  reft. 

Lt]  The  ancient  Irregular  form  bolj>e>  is  ftill  ufed  in  con- 
variation. 


5*  A  SHORT  INTRODUCTION- 


J  Cdl  , 

tare,  or 

tore,  torn. 

Wpar 
» »  Vdl  , 

wdit)  or 

wore,  worn. 

l"Jeave, 

hove^* 

hoven.* 

Shear, 

fhore,  ■ 

fhom% 

Steal, 

HU1C, 

lioicii,  or  iioin* 

Tread, 

trode, ' 

\j  V  P  B  t/ 

v v  cavij 

wove, 

woven* 

into 

Creep, 

trope,* 

[creeped  or  crept 

£foze, 

frozen* 

1UU, 

louucn* 

into 

Taw,  - 

leen. 

*    IfMI/Y    tMf  A  ' 

»  l^i'Vi  HltO 

*  inorr. 

i  fhort* ' 

Bite, 

DI  v, 

bitten* 

Chide,  • 

cina,  l  J 

chidden* 

Hide 

illU, 

hidden,  - 

Slide,  - 

Hid, 

Ok 

I  riiori* 

.Abide, 

ti  DUUti 

v  jI  llli 

CaUI:  J  I/, 

LCiimocci.  j  « 

TVri  VP 

drove,  • 

cirivcii* 

"Ride 

rode, 

ridden* 

Jaiic, 

rore,  f  1 3 

rifen* 

j>hine. 

(hone, 

finned* 

Shrive, 

fhrove, 

fhriven*  1 

Smite, 

fmote, 

fmitten.  ; 

Stride, 

ftrode, 

ftridden*  • 

Strive,  i 

ft  rove,*  * 

ftriven.  * 

©oo«ocaco©« 


[•]  "  Jacob  cbode  with  Labin."    Gen.  xxxi.  36.  Niim. 

[1]  Rife  with  1  ilibrt,  hath'  been  improperly  ufed  as  the  4 
Pad  Time  of  this  Verb  ;  ^  That  form  of  the  firft  or  primi- 
genial  earth,  -which  rift,  immediately  out  of  Chaos,  was  not 
the-fame,  nor  like  to:  that  of  the  prefent  earth/'  Burnet, 
Theory  of  the  earth,  B*  I*  Chap.  iv.  "  If  we  hold  fail  to 
that  fcripture  conclufjon,  that  all  mankind  ri/e  from  one 
bead,"    Ibid.  B.  II.  Chap.  vii. 


TO  ENGLISH  GRAMMAH. 


Thrive,  -throve  [2]  .thriveru 

Write,  [3]  wrote,  ^written. 

i  long  into  u-  t  fhort. 

Strike,  (truck,  ftricken,  or  ftruckeno 

i  fhort  int$  a* 

Bid,  bade,  bidden. 

Give,  gave,  given. 

Sit,  fat,  iitten. 


[2]  Mr.  Pope  has  ufed  tlie  Regular  form  of  the  Paft 
Time  ot  this  Verb : 

11  In  the  fat  age  of  pleafure,  wealth  and  eafe, 

Sprung  the  rank  weed,  and  tbriv'd  with  large  increafe." 

Effay  on  Crit> 

[3]  This  Verb  is  aifo  formed  like  thofe  of  i  long  into  J 
fhort,  Write,  writ,  written  :  and  by  Contraction  writ  in. 
the  Participle  ;  but  I  think,  improperly. 

[^"]  Frequent  mMakesare  made  in  the  formation  of  the 
Participle  of  this  Verb.  The  analogy  plainly  requires  Jit~ 
ten  \  which  was  formerly/in  ufe  :  "The  army  hw\v\<gjitttn 
there  fo;  long."— "  Which  was  enough  to  make  him  ftir,  that 
would  not  have  jfa/enftill,  though  Hannibal  had  been  quiet*" 
Raleigh.  "  That  no  parliament  thould  be  difTolved,  till  it 
had  fitt&n  five  months.  Hobbes,  Hift-  of  Civil  Wars,  p.  257. 
But  it  is  now  alm©ft  wholly  difufed,  the  form  of  the  Paft 
Time  Jat  having  taken  its  place.  The  court  was  fatA 
)>efore  Sir  Roger  came."  Addifon,  Spe£t.  No.  122.  See 
ajfo  Tatler,  No.  253.  and  265.  Dr.  Middleton  hath,  with 
great  propriety,  .refWred  the  true  Participle  :  "  To  have  fa- 
sten o\\  the  heads  of  the  Apoftles :  to  have  Jltten  upon  each 
of  them."  Works,  Vol.  II.  p.  30.  M  ^lefled  is  the  man- 
that  hat}i  not  fat  in  the  feat  of  the  fcornfuU"  Pfal.  i.  1. 
Tne  old  Editions  have  Jit;  which  may  be  perhaps  allowed, 
as  a  Contraction  of fittcn,  "  And  when  he  was  fet,  his 
difciples  came  unto  him,"  Matt.  v.  1.— who  fct  on  th« 
[  right  hand,"— "  and  is  fet  down  on  the  right  hand  of  the 


6o  A 

SHORT 

INTRODUCTION 

Spit, 

fpat, 

fpitten  [*] 

i  fhort  into 

dug  * 

Idigged] 

he  into 

<!)'• 

Lie  [5]  _ 

lay, 

lien,  or  lain* 

0  into 

e. 

Hold, 

held, 

holden. 

0  into 

i. 

Do, 

did, 

done,  u  e.  doen, 

00  into 

0. 

.Chocfe, 

chofe, 

chofen* 

ci/  into 

Blow, 

blew, 

blown. 

Crow 

crew, 

[crowed] 

throne  of  God:"  in  both  place?,  Keb.  viii.  1.  and  xii.  2. 
(fee  alfo  Matt,  xxvii.  19.  Luke  xxii.  55.  John  xiii.  12. 
Kev.  lib  2f.) 

Set  can  be  no  part  of  the  Verb  to  Jit-  If  it  belong  to 
the  Verb  to  fet,  the  translation  in  thefe  parages  is  wrong; 
for  to  fet,  fignifies  to  place,  but  without  any  defignation  of 
the  pofture  of  the  perfon  placed  ;  which  is  a  circumftance  of 
importance  exprefifed  by  the  original- 

[*]  u  Spitted  on."    Luke  xviii.  32. 

(5)  This  Neuter  Verb  is  frequently  confounded  with  the 
Verb  AcYive  to  lay  (that  is,  to  put  cr  place  ;)  which  is  Re- 
gular, and  has  in  the  Part  Time  and  Participle  laycd  or  laid* 

"  For  him,  thro'  hoftile  camps  1  bent  my  way  ; 
For  him,  thus  proftrate  at  thy  feet  I  lay  : 
Large  gifts  proportion^!  to  thy  wrath  1  bear." 

Pope,  Iliad  xxiv.  622. 

Here  lay  is  evidently  ufed  for  the  Prefent  Time,  inflead 
of  lie.    "  Before  they  were  laid  down."    Joili.  ii.  8- 

"  And  he  war  laid  down."  2  Sam-  xiii.  8-  Jt ought  to 
be  had  lien,  or  lain  down.  See  alfo  Ruth  lib  7-  *  Sam# 
iii,  2,  3.     1  Kings,  xix.  6-  xxi.  4* 


TO  ENGLISH  GRAMMAR.  6l 

Grow,  grew,  grown, 

Know,  knew,  known, 

Throw,  threw,  thrown, 

y  into            ew*  ow» 

Fly  (7)  flew,  flown  (8) 

The  fallowing  are  irregular  only  in  the  Participle ;  and 
that  without  changing  the  vowel* 

Bake,  (baked)  %aken  * 

Fold,  (folded)  folden^  (+) 


(7)  That  is,  as  a  bird,  volare  ;  whereas  to  flee  fignifies 
fugere,  as  from  an  enemy..  So  in  the  Saxon  and  German, 
fleogany  fliegany  volar e  :  fleon,  fltcbeny  fugere.  This 
feems  to  be  the  proper  diftincYion  between  to  fly,  and  to 
flee  ;  which  in  the  Prefent  Times  are  very  often  confound- 
ed. Our  Tranflation  of  the  Bible  is  not  quite  free  from  this 
miftake.  It  hath  flee  for  volare,  in  perhaps  feven  or  eight 
places  out  of  a  great  number  ;  but  never  fly  for  fugere. 

(8)  "  For  Rhyme  in  Greece  or  Rome  was  never  known, 
Till  by  barbarian  deluges  o'er  flown," 

Rofcommon,  Eflay. 

"  Do  not  the  Nile  and  the  Niger  make  yearly  inundati- 
ons in  our  days,  as  they  have  formerly  done  ?  and  are  not 
the  countries  fo  overflown,  ftill  fituate  between  the  tro- 
picks.?"    Bentley's  Sermons. 

u  Thus  oft  by  mariners  are  fliown 

Earl  Godwin's  caftles  overflown"  Swift. 

Here  the  Participle  of  the  Irregular  Verb  to  flyy  is  con- 
founded with  that  of  the  Regular  Verb,  to  flow-  It  ought 
to  be  in  all  thefe  places  overflowed. 

(f)  u  While  they  be  folden  together  as  thorns." 

Nahum,  !•  10. 

F 


62  A  SHORT  INTRODUCTION 

Grave  (graved)  graven  * 

Hew  (hewed)  hewen,  or  hewn  * 

Lade  (laded)  laden 

Load  (loaded)  loaden  * 

Mow  (mowed)  mown  * 

Owe  (owed,  or  ought)  owen  * 

Rive  (rived)  riven 

Saw  (fa wed)  fawn  * 

Shape  ((haped)  lhapen  • 

Shave  (fhaved)  fhaven 

Shew  (mewed)  Ihewn  * 
or 

Show  ((bowed)  fhown 

Sow  (fowed)  fown  * 

Straw,  -ew,  or  ow,  (ftrawed,  Sec.)  flrown  • 

Wa(h  (warned)  wamen  *  (f ) 

Wax  (waxed)  waxen  * 

Wreath  (wreathed)  wreathen 

Writhe  (writhed)  writhen 

Some  Verbs  which  change  i  fliort  into  a  or  «,  and  t  Ions 
into  ou>  have  dropt  the  termination  en  in  the  Participle. 

i  fhort  into  a  or  «.  u* 

Begin  began  fyegim 

Cling  clang,  or  clung  clung 

Drink  drank,    drunk,  cr  drunken 

Fling  flung,  flung 

Ring  rang,    or  rung  rung 

Shrink  fhrank,  or  fbrunk  fhrunk 

Smg  &ng,    or  *URg  Ifing 

Sink  fank,    or  funk  funk 

Sling  #angj   or  flung  flung 

Slink  flunk  flunk 

Spin  fpan  .  or  fpun  Ipun 

Spring  %ang,  or  fprung  Jprung 


MM04MUM 


(f)  With  unwafoen  hancb.    Mark,  vii,  4, 


TO  ENGLISH  GRAMMAR. 


63 


ftung 
flunk 
flrung 
fwura 
fwung 
wrung 

In  many  of  the  foregoing,  the  original  and  analogical 
form  of  the  Pafl  Time  in  a,  which  diftinguifhed  it  from  the 
Participle,  is  grown  quite  obfolete. 


i  long  into  ouj  ou* 

Bind  bound  bound,  or  bounden 

Find  found  found 

Grind  ground  graund 

Wind  wound  wound 


That  all  thefe  had  originally  the  termination  en  in  the 
Participle,  is  plain  from  the  following  confiderations.  Drink 
and  bind  frill  retain  it ;  drunken^  bounden  ;  from  the  Sax- 
on, druncen*,  bund  en  :  and  the  reft  are  manifeOly  of  the 
fame  analogy  with  thefe.  Bcgonnen>  fonken,  and  founden^ 
are  ufed  by  Chaucer ;  and  fome  others  of  them  appear  in 
their  proper  fhape  in  the  Saxon;  fcruncen>  fpunncn,  fprun- 
gen,  Jlungea,  wunden*  As  likewife  in  the  German,  which 
is  only  another  offspring  of  the  Saxon  :  begunnen,  geklun- 
geny  getruncken,  gefungen,  gefuncketij  gefpunnen,  ge- 
fprungen,  gejiunckeny  gefebwummen,  gefchwungen* 

The  following  feera  to  have  loft  the  en.  of  the  Participle 


in  the  fame  manner. 

Hang  (9)  hung  *  hung  • 

Shoot  fliot  fhot 

Stick  fluck  fluck 


ting  ftung 

^tink  flank,  or  flunk 

tring  fining 

Swim  fwam,  or  fvvum 

Swing  fwung 

Wring  wrung 


(9)  This  Verb,  when  Active,  may  perhaps  be  moft  pro- 
perly ufed  to  the  Regular  Form  ;  when  Neuter,  in  the  Ir- 


64  A   SHORT  INTRODUCTION 

Come  came  come 

Run  van  run 

Win  won  won 

Hangcn,  and  fcoten,  are  the  Saxon  originals  of  the  two 
firft  Participles  ;  the  latter  of  which  is  likewife  Hill  in  ufe  in 
its  firft  form  in  one  phrafe  ;  a  Jl:otten  herring.  Stuck  feems 
to  be  a  contraction  from  Jlucken,  as  Jiruck  is  now  in  ufe  for 
ftrucketu  Chaucer  hath  cov.cn  and  ivonntn  :  becommcn  is 
even  ufed  by  Lord  Bacon.  (1)  And  moft  of  them  ftilL  nib- 
fifl  intire  in  the  Gtrman  ;  gibangen^  kommen,  gerannen> 
gcnvGnncn. 

To  this  third  Clafs  belong  the  Defective  Verbs,  Be,  been; 
and  Go,  gone  ;  i.  e.  goen. 

From  this  diftribution  and  account  of  the  Irregular  Verbs, 
if  it  be  juftj  it  appears,  that  originally  there  was  no  excep- 
tion from  the  Rule,  That  the  Participle  Preterit,  or  Paffive, 
in  Englifti  ends  in  d>  or  «.  The  firft  form  included  all 
the  Regular  Verbs,  and  thofe  which  are  become  Irregular 
by  Contraction  ending  in  r.  To  the  fecond  properly  belong- 
ed only  thofe  which  end  in  gbt.  To  the  third,  thofe  from 
the  Saxon  Irregulars  in  en,  which  have  Rill,  or  had  origin- 
ally, the  fame  termination. 

The  fame  Rule  affords  a  proper  foundation  for  a  divifion 
of  all  the  Englifh  Verbs  into  Tim  e  Conjugations,  or  Clafies 
of  Verbs,  diftinguifhing  one  from  another  by  a  peculiar  for- 
mation, in  fome  principal  part  of  the  Verbs  belonging  to 
each  ;  of  which  Conjugations  refpectively  the  three  different 
Terminations  of  the  Participle  might  be  the  Characteriftics. 
Such  of  the  Contracted  Verbs  as  have  their  Participles  now 
ending  in  f,  might  perhaps  be  beft  reduced  to  the  firft  Con- 
jugation, to  which  they  naturally  and  originally  belonged  ; 
and  they  feem  to  be  of  a  very  different  analogy  from  thofe 
in  gkt»    But  as  the  Verbs  of  the  firft  Conjugation  would 


eoesoocoeeoo 


regular.   But  in  the  Active  fenfc  of  furntjlnng  a  ream  nvltb 
draperies,  the  Irregular  Form  prevails-    The  Vulgar  trans- 
lation of  the  Bible  ufes  only  the  Regular  Form. 
(1)  Effay  xxix- 


TO  ENGLISH  GRAMMAR, 


io  greatly  exceed  in  number  thofe  of  both  the  others^  which 
together  make  but  about  117  ;  L*]  and  as  thofe  of  the 
third  Conjugation  are  fo  various  in  their  form,  awd  incapable 
of  being  reduced  to  one  plain  rule  ;  it  feems  better  in  prac- 
tice to  confider  the  firft  in  ed  as  the  only  Regular  form, 
and  the  others  as  deviations  from  it ;  after  the  example  of 
the  Saxon  and  German  Grammarians. 

To  the  Irregular  Verbs  are  to  be  added  the  Defective  ; 
which  are  not  only  for  the  moft  part  Irregular,  but  are  alfo 
wanting  In  fomeof  their  parts.  They  are  in  general  words 
of  moft  .frequent  and  vulgar  nfe  ;  in  which  cuftom  is  apt  to 
get  the  better  of  Analogy.  Such  are  the  Auxiliary  Verbs, 
moft  of  which  are  of  this number.  They  are  in  ufe  only  in 
fome  of  their  Times,  and  Modes  ;  and  fome  of  them  are  a 
Competition  of  Times  of  feverai  Defective  Verbs  having  the 
fame  fignification.. 

Pre  fen  t. 
Am, 
Can, 
Go, 
May,, 
Muft, 
Ought, 
Quoth, 
Shall, 

Weet,  wit,  or  wot ; 
Will, 

Wis,. 


Baft.v  Participle, 
was  been, 
could, 

went,  gone, 
might. 

ought. 

quoth* 

mould'. 

wot. 

would.  - 

wift. 


[2]  The  whole  number  of  Verbs  in  the  Englifh  language, 
Regular  and  Irregular,  Simple  and  Compounded,  taken  to- 
gether, is  about  4300.  See,  in  Dr.  Ward's  Efflays  on  the 
Englifti  Language,  the  Catalogue  of  Englifh  Verbs.  The 
whole  number  of  Irregular  Verbs,  the  Defective  included,, 
is  about  177. 


66  A  SHORT  INTRODUCTION 


There  are  not  in  EnglHhfo  many  as  a  Hundred  Veibs 
(being  only  the  chief  part,  but  not  all,  of  the  Irregulars  of 
the  Third  Clafs)  which  have  a  diftinft  and  different  form  for 
the  Pfcfi  Time  AcYive  and  the  Participle  Perfect  or  Paf- 
five.  The  general  bent  and  turn  of  the  language  is  towards 
the  other  form,  which  makes  the  Pad  Time  and  the  Parti- 
ciple the  fame.  This  general  inclination  and  tendency  of 
the  language  feems  to  have  given  occafion  to  the  introducing 
of  a  very  great  corruption  ;  by  which  the  Form  of  the  Part 
Time  is  confounded  with  that  of  the  Participle  in  thefe 
Verbs,  few  in  proportion,  which  have  them  quite  different 
from  one  another.  This  confuGon  prevails  greatly  in  com- 
mon difcourfe,  and  is  too  much  authorifed  by  the  example 
of  fomeof  cur  btft  Writers.  [3]  Thus  it  is  faid,  He  begun> 


ooMooeoeovtooo* 


[3]  tt  He  would  bave /poke.'9 

Milton,  P.  L.  x.  517. 

ft  Words  interwove  with  fighs  found  out  their  way." 

P.  L-  i.  621* 

"  Thofe  kings  and  potentates  who  have  ftrove" 

Eiconoclaft.  xviu 

u  And  to  his  faithful fervanlf  batbin  place 

Bore  witnefs  glorioufly*"  Sam-  Ag.  ver.  1752* 

«  And  envious  darknefs,  ere  they  could  return, 

Had  fiole  them  from  me."  Comes,  ver.  195. 

Here  it  is  obfervable,  that  the  Author's  MS.  and  the  fir  ft 
Edition  have  it  Jlolne. 

"  And  irr  triumph  have  rode*  P.  R.  iii.  36. 

«  I  have  cbofe 

«  Thisperfea:  man/'  i-  ™5* 

V  The  fragratit  brier  was  wove  between," 

Drjden,  Fablts- 

w  I  will  fcarce  think  you  bavefwam  in  a  Gondola-" 

Shakeipear,  As  You  Like  IU 


TO  ENGLISH   GRAMMAR.  Gj 

for  he  began;  be  run,  for  be  ran  ;  be  drunk,  for  be  drank; 
the  Participle  being  tifed  inftead  of  the  Pad  Time.  And 
much  more  frequently  the  Fait  Time  inftead  of  the  Partici- 
ple :  as,  I  bad  wrote,  it  ivas  wrote,  for  I  bad  written,  it 
was  written  ;  I  have  drank,  for  I  have  drunk  ;  bore, 
for  borne  ;  cbofe,  for  cbofen  ;  bid,  for  bidden  ;  got,  for 
gotten,  &c.  This  abufe  has  been  long  growing  upon  us, 
and  is  continually  making  further  incroachments  :  as  it  may 
be  oblerved  in  the  example  of  thofe  Irregular  Verbs  of  the 


00O0OO0ASOO000O* 


"  Then  finifli  what  you  have  began  : 
But  fcribble  fafter  if  you  can. 

Dryden,  Poems,  Vol.  II.  p.  t,jz9 

H  And  now  the  years  a  numerous  train  have  ran  J. 
"  The  blooming  boy  is  ripen'd  into  man.' 

Pope's  Ody  ff.  xi .  5  5  5 *, 

tt  Which  I  bad  no  fooner  drank,  but  I  found  a  pimple  rifing 
in  my  forehead.1'  Addifon,  TatlerfNo.  131.. 

1  Have  Jprang."  Atterbury,  Serm.  I.  4.  "  bad  fpake— 
had  began*— * — Clarendon,  Gontin.  Hift.  p.  40.  and  120.- 
*  The  men  begun  to  embeilifh  the mfe Ives." 

Addifon ,  Speft.  434*- 

"  Rapt  into  future  times  the  bard  begun" 

Pope,  Meffiah.- 

And  without  the  neceflity  of  rhyme  : 

u  A  fecond  deluge  learaing  thus  oer  run, 

And  the  Monks  fuiiQi'd  what  the  Goths  begun" 

Eflay  on  Critic  ifma. 

w  Repeat  you  verfes  wrote  on  glafles."  Prior. 

w  Mr.  MhTon  has  wrote.1*    Addifon,  Preface  to  his  Travels. 

He  could  only  command  his  voice,  which  was  broke  with 
fighs  and  fobbing?,  fo  far  as  to  bid  her  proceed/*  Addifon, 
Sped.  No.  164. 

<(  No  civil  broils  ba*v&  fince  his  death  arofe." 

Dryden^on  0,  Cromwell* > 


63 


A  SHORT  INTRODUCTION 


Third  Clafs,  which  change  i  fliort  into  a  and  u ;  as,  Cling, 
clang,  clung :  in  which  the  original  and  analogical  form  of 
the  Pah:  Time  in  a  is  almoft  grown  obfolete  ;  and  the  u  pre- 
vailing inftead  of  it,  the  Paft  Time  is  now  in  mod  of  them 
confounded  with  the  Participle.    The  Vulgar  Tranflation 


u  Illuftrious  virtues,  who  by  turns  have  rofe*'  ^ 

Prior*. 

"  Had  not  arofe."  Swift,  Battle  of  Books  5  and  Boling.- 
broke,  Letter  to  Wyndham,  p.  233.- 

"  The  Sun  has  rofe,  and  gone  to  bed, 

Juft  as  if  Patridge  were  not  dead/'  Swift. 

*  This  nimble  operator  will  have  Jlole  it."  Tale  of  a  Tub, 
Sed.  x. 

"  Some  Philofophers  have  mhjlooh"         Ibid.  Se&.  ix.. 

"  That  Diodorus  has  not  mtftook  blmfelf  in  his  account 
of  the  date  of  Phintia,  we  may  be  as  fure  as  any  hiftory  can 
make  us."    Bentley,  Diflert.  on  Phalaris,  p.  98. 

"  Why  fall  the  fouls  that  were,  were  forfeit  once  : 
And  he  that  might  the  Vantage  heRbave  tcoky 
Found  out  the  remedy." 

Shakefpear/Meaf.  for  Meaf 

"  Silence 

Was  took  ere  fhe  was  ware."  Milton,  Comus, 

u  Into  thole  common  places  look, 
Which  from  great  authors  I  have  took*" 

Prior,  Alma. , 

4<  A  free  Conftitution  when  it  has  been Jhookby  the  iniquity- 
of  former  administrations."  Bolingbroke,  Patriot  King, 
p.  in. 

«  Too  ftrong  to  hejbookby  hi* -enemies." 

Atterbury% 

*  Ev'n  there  he  mould  have  fell."  Prior,  Solomon. 
«  Sure  fome  difafter  has  befell^  Gay,  Fabler  j 


TO  ENGLISH   GRAMMAR.  69 

cf  the  BibJe,  which  is  the  be  ft  ftandard  of  our  language,  is 
free  from  this  corruption,  except  in  a  few  inftances  ;  as,  bid 
is  ufedfor  bidden,  held  for  bolden,  frequently  ;  bid,  for  bid- 
den  ;  begot  for  begotten,  once  or  twice  5  in  which,  and  a 
few  other  like  words,  it  may  perhaps  be  allowed  as  a  Con- 
traction. And  in  fome  of  thefe  Cuftom  has  eftabliftied  it 
beyond  recovery.  In  the  reft  itfeems  wholly  inexcufable. 
The  abfurdity  of  it  will  be  plainly  perceived  in  the  exam- 
ple of  fome  of  thefe  Verbs,  which  cuftom  has  not  yet  fo  per- 
verted. We  fhculd  be  immediately  fhockedat  I  bave  knew, 
I  bave  faw,  I  bave  gave,  Sec.  but  our  ears  are  grown  fa- 
miliar with  I  bave  wrote,  1  basse  drank,  I  bave  bore,  &c. 
which  are  altogether  as  ungrammatical. 

There  are  one  or  two  fmall  Irregularities  to  be  noted,  to 
which  fome  Verbs  are  fubject  in  the  formation  of  the  Pre- 
fent  Participle.  The  Prefent  Participle  is  formed  by  adding 
ing  to  the  Verb  :  as,  turn,  turning*  Verbs  erding  in  e 
omit  the  e  in  the  Prefent  Participle  :  as,  love,  loving.  Verbs 
ending  in  a  fingle  Gonfonant  preceded  by  a  fingle  Vowel, 
and  if  of  more  than  one  Syllable,  having  the  Accent  on  the 
laft  Syllable,  double  the  Confonaat  in  the  Prefent  Partici- 
ple>  as  well  as  in  every  part  of  the  Verb  in  which  a  Sylla- 
ble is  added  ;  as,  put,  putting, puttetb  :  forget,  forgetting^ 
forgettetb  ;  abet,  abetting,  abetletb.[*'] 


ADVERB. 

ADVERBS  are  added  to  Verbs  and  Adje&ives 
to  denote  fome  modification  or  circumftance  of  an  ac- 
tion or  quality  ;  as,  the  manner,  order,  time,  place,  'dif. 

MOOOOMCOOOMOO 

[*]  Some  Verbs,  having  the  Accent  on  the  laft  Syllable 
but  one,  as  vjorfiip,  counfel,  are  leprefented  in  the  like 
manner,  as  doubling  the  laft  con fon ant  in  the  formation  of 
thofe  parts  of  the  Verb,  in  which  a  Syllable  is  added  ;  as3 


70  A  SHORT  INTRODUCTION 

tance,  notion,  relation,  quantity,  quality,  comparifon,  deubt , 
affirmation,  negation,  demonftration,  interrogation. 

In  Englifh  they  admit  of  no  variation  ;  except  fome  few 
of  them,  which  have  the  degrees  of  comparifon  :  as,  [4] 
"  often,  ofiener,  oftenett  ;"  foon,  fooner,  iboneft  ;"  and 
thofe  Irregulars,  derived  from  Adjectives  (5)  in  this  refpedl 
likewife  irregular  ;  well,  better,  befl. 

An  Adverb  is  fometimes  joined  to  another  Adverb,  to 
modify  or  qualify  its  meaning  ;  a?,  "  very  much  ;  much  too 
little  ;  not  very  prudently. 


PREPOSITION. 


INCHMMH 

worfhipping,  court  felling.  But  this  I  rather  judge  to  be 
a  fault  in  the  fpclling  j  which  neither  Analogy  nor  Pronun- 
ciation juflifies. 

(4)  The  formation  of  Adverbs  in  general  with  the  Com- 
parative and  Superlative  Terminations  feems  to  be  improper; 
st  lead  it  is  now  become  almoft  obfolete  :  as,  "  Touching 
things  which  generally  are  received — we  are  bardlicft  able 
to  bring  fuch  proof  of  their  certainty,  as  may  fatisfy  gain- 
layers."  Hooker,  B.  V.  2.  "  Was  the  eajilier  perfuad- 
ed."  Raleigh.  u  That  he  may  the  Jlrongiier  provide." 
Hobbes,  Life  of  Thucyd.  w  The  things  highliefl  import-, 
ant  to  the  growing  age."  Lord  Shaftfbury,  Letter  to  Lord 
Molefworth.  "  The  quefticn  would  not  be,  who  loved 
himfelf,  and  who  not  ;  but,  who  loved  and  ferved  himfelf 
the  rigbteft,  and  after  the  trueft  manner,"  Id.  Wit  and 
Humour.  It  ought  rather  to  be,  moji  hardly,  more  eqfily}, 
more  firongly,  moft  highly,  moji  right  or  rightly*  But 
thefe  Comparative  Adverbs,  however  improper  in  Profe,  are 
fometimes  allowed  in  Poetry  : 

"  Sceptre  and  powV,  Thy  giving,  I  aflume ; 

And  gladlier  Ihall  refign."    Milton,  P.  L.  vi.  73%. 

(5)  See  above,  p.  25. 


TO  ENGLISH  GRAMMAR. 


71 


PREPOSITION* 

PREPOSITIONS,  fo  called,  becaufe  they  are  com- 
monly put  before  the  words  to  which  they  are  ap- 
plied, ierve  to  connect  words  with  one  another,  and  to  (hew 
the  relation  between  them. 

One  great  ufe  of  Prepofitions  in  Englifh  is  to  exprefs 
thole  relations,  which  in  lbme  languages,  are  chiefly  marked 
by  Cafes,  or  the  different  endings  of  the  Noun. 

Moft  Prepofitions  originally  denote  the  relations  of  Place, 
and  have  been  thence  transferred  to  denote  by  fimilitude 
other  relations.  Thus,  out,  in,  through,  tindery  by,  to, 
from,  of  Sec.  Of  is  much  the  fame  with  from  ;  "  alk  of 
me,"  that  is,  from  me  :  made  of  wood  "  Son  of  Philip 
that  is,  fprung  from  him.  For,  in  its  primary  fenfe,  is  pro, 
loco  qlterius,  in  the  ftead,  or  place,  of  another.  The  no» 
dbii  of  Place  is  very  obvious  in  all  the  reft.  (•) 

lOMSOMOIH 

(*)  The  Particle  a  before  Participles,  in  the  phrafes  a 
coming,  a  going,  a  walking,  a  (hooting,  &c.  and  before 
Nouns,  as,  a -bed,  a- board,  a^fhore,  a-foot,  &c>  feems  to  be 
a  true  and  genuine  Prepofition,  a  little  difguifed  by  familiar 
ufe  and  quick  pronunciation*     f)r»  Wallis  fuppofes  it  to  be 
the  Prepofition  at*    I  rather  think  it  is  the  Prepofition  on  ; 
the  fenfe  of  which  anfwets  better  to  the  intention  of  thofe 
exprelTmns.    At  has  relation  chiefly  to  place ;  on  has  a 
more  general  relation,  and  may  be  applied  to  acilon,  and 
many  other  things,  as  well  as  place.    "  I  was  on  coaling, 
en  going,"  &c.  that  is,  employed  upon  that  particular  ac* 
tion  :  fo  likewife  thofe  other  phrafes  above*mentioned,  a* 
bed,  &c.  exactly  anfwer  to  on  bed,  on  board,  on  (here,  on 
foot.    Dr.  Bentley  plainly  fuppoied  a  to  be  the  fame  with 
$n  ;  as,  appears  from  the  following  paflage  :  "  He  would 
have  a  learned  Univerfity  make  Barbarifms  a  purpofe."  Dif« 
fert.  on  Phalaris,  p.  223.    The  depths  on  trembling  fell.'* 
J.  Hopkins,  Pf»  Ixxvii.  16.    That  is,  as  we  now  fay  in  com* 


72  A   SHORT  INTRODUCTION 

Prepofitionsare  alfo  prefixt  to  words  in  fuch  a  manner  a? 
to  coalefce  with  them,  and  to  hecome  a  pan  of  them.  Pre- 
pofitionis,  (tending  by  themfelves  in  Conft.ru  cYion,  are  put 
before  Nouns  and  Pronouns  ;  and  fometimes  after  Verbs  : 
but  in  this  fort  of  Compofition,  they  are  chiefly  prefixt  to 
Verbs:  as,  to  outgo,  to  overcome,  to  undervalue*  There 
are  alfo  certain  Particles,  which  are  thus  employed  in  com- 
pofition of  words,  yet  cannot  Rand  by  themfelves  in  Con* 
itrucTion  ;  as,  a,  be,  con,  mis,  &c.  in  abide,  bedeck,  con- 
join, mijlake,  &c.  Thefe  are  called  Infeparable  Prcpofi- 
tions. 


CONJUNCTION. 


TH  E  Conjunction  connects  or  joins  together  Sen- 
tences ;  fo  as  out  of  two  to  make  one  Sentence. 
Thus,  "  You  and  I,  and  Peter,  rode  to  London,"  is  one 
fentence  made  up  of  thefe  three,  by  the  Conjunction  and 
twice  employed  ;  "  You  rode  to  London  ;  I  rode  to  Lon- 
don ;  Peter  rode  to  London."    Again,  "  You  and  I  rode 


ooocoooeeoet 


tnon  dtfcourfe,  "  they  fell  a  trembling."  And  the  Prep©- 
fition  on  has  manifeftly  deviated  into  a  in  other  mflances  : 
thus  the  Saxon  compounded  Prepofitions  owgean,  owmang, 
cnbutan,  are  become  in  Engl i ft,  by  the  rapidity  of  pronun- 
ciation, tfgainlt,  Among,  about.;  and  what  is  in  the  Saxon 
Gofpel,  "  Ic  wylte  gan  on  fixoth,"  is  in  the  Englifh  Tranf- 
lation,  "  I  go  a  fifliing."  John  xxi.  3.  Much  in  the  fame 
manner,  John  of  Nokes,  and  John  of  Styles,  by  very  fre- 
quent and  familiar  ufe,  become  John  a  Nokes,  and  John  a 
Stiles  :  and  one  of  the  clcck,  or  rather  on  the  clock,  is  writ- 
ten one  o'clock,  but  pronounced  one  a  clock.  The  phrafes 
with  a  before  Participles  are  out  of  ufe  in  the  folemn  ftyle; 
but  Rill  prevail  in  familiar  difecurfe-  They  are  eftabliflied 
by  long  ulage,  and  good  authority  ;  and  there  feems  to  be 
no  reafbn  why  they  fhould  be  utterly  rejected. 


TO  ENGLISH   GRAMMAR,  73 

to  London,  but  Peter  ftaid  at  home,"  is  one  fentence  made 
up  of  three  by  the  Conjunctions  and  and  but :  both  of  which 
equally  connect  the  fentences,  but  the  htter  expreffes  aa 
Oppofition  in  the  fenfe.  The  firft  is  therefore  called  a  Con- 
junction Copulative ;  and  the  other,  a  Conjunction  Disjunct- 
ive. 

The  ufe  of  Copulative  Conjunctions  is  to  connect,  or  to 
continue,  the  fentence,  by  expreffing  an  addition,  and;  and 
a  fuppofition,  or  condition,  (/,  as ;  a  caufe,  becaufe  (6) 
then;  a  motive,  that;  an  inference,  therefore,  &c. 

The  ufe  of  Disjunctives  is  to  connect  and  to  continue  the 
fentence  ;  but  withal  to  exprefs  Oppofition  of  meaning  in 
different  degrees  :  as,  or,  but,  than,  altbof  unlefs,  &c. 

INTERJECTION. 

INTERJECTIONS,  fo  called  becaufe  they  are  thrown 
in  between  the  parts  of  a  fentence  without  making  any 
other  alteration  in  it,  are  a  kind  of  Natural  founds  to  ex- 
prefs the  affection  of  the  fpeaker. 

The  different  paffionshave  for  the  moft  part  different  In- 
terjections to  exprefs  them. 

The  Interjection  0  placed  before  a  Subftantive.  expreffes 
more  ftrongly  an  addrefs  made  to  that  perfon  or  thing ;  as  it 
marks  in  Latin  what  is  called  the  Vocative  Cafe. 

SENTENCES. 


(6)  The  Conjunction  becaufe,  ufed  to  exprefs  the  motive 
or  end,  is  either  improper  or  obfolete  ;  as,  "  The  multitude 
rebuked  them,  becaufe  they  fhould  hold  their  peace.*'  Mat, 
xx.  31.  "  It  is  the  cafe  of  fome,  to  contrive  falfe  periods 
of  bufinefs,  becaufe  they  may  feemmen  of  difpatch.'V  Ba- 
con, Eflay  xxv.    We  (hould  now  make  ufe  of  tbaU 


74  A  SHORT  I'NTRODUCTrOV 


SENTENCES, 


A SENTENCE  is  an  affemblage  of  words,  "eft- 
prefTed  in  proper  form,  and  ranged  in  proper  order, 
and  concurring  to  make  a  complete  (enfe. 

The  Conftruclion  of  fentences  depends  principally  upon 
the  Concord  or  Agreement,  and  the  Regimen,  or  Govern- 
ment, of  Words. 

One  word  is  faid  to  agree  with  another,  when  it  is  requir- 
ed to  be  in  like  cafe,  number,  gender,  or  perfon. 

One  word  is  faid  to  govern  another,  when  it  caufeth  the 
other  to  be  in  fome  Cafe  or  Mode.. 

Sentences  are  either  Simple  or  Compounded. 
A  Simple  Sentence  hath  in  it  but  cne  Subject  and  one 
Yin ite  Verb  ;  that  is,  a  Verb  in  the  Indicative,  Impera- 
tive, or  Subjunctive  Mode.. 

A  Phrafe  is  two  or  mere  words  rightly  put  together  in 
order  to  make  a  part  of 'a  Sentence  ;  and  Tome-times  makirg 
a  whole  Sentence. 

The  mort  common  Phrases  uied  in  "fori pie  Sentences  are 
the  following  : 

ik  Phrafe  :  The  Subftantive  before  a  Veib  Active,  Fafc 
ive,  or  Neuter;  when  it  is  faid  what  thing  fx,  docs,  or  is 
done  :  as44  I  am  M  Thoju  writeft  M  Thomas  is  loved;" 
*wHere  7,  Ti^w*  Thomas^  are  the  Nominative  [7]  Cafes  j 


'[7]  "  Irfe,  ivbom*y'c  '  pretend 'reigns  in  heaven,  is  fo  far 
&bW  protecting  the  miferabfe  fons  of  men,  that  he  perpetu- 
'afry  delights  to  bla'ft'tne  fweeteft 'rlowrets  in  the  Garden  of 
'Hope,    ^venturer,  No.  76. 

It  oiignt  to  he'ivbdy  the  Nominative  Cafe  to  reigns  ;  hot 
wAow',  as  $  it^thfmt^f^0vk  ^tt  governed  by  rpf€- 
tend* 


tO  ENGLISH   GRAMMAR.  75 

and  anfwer.  to  the  queftion  ivbo,  or  what  ?  as,  «  Who  is 
loved  ?  Thomas."  And  the  Verb  agrees  with  the  Nomi- 
native Cafe  in  Number  and  Perfon  ;  [8]  as  Thou  being  the 
Second  Perfon  Singular*  the  Verb  witeft  is  fo  too. 

2d  Phrafe  :  The  Subftantive  after  a  Verb  Neuter  or  Paf- 
five  ;  whenit4s- ^raid;  that  fuch  a  thing  ir,  or  is  made,  or 
thought,  or  called,  fuch  another  thing  ;  or,  when  the 

il  If  you  were  here,  you  would  find  three  or  four  in  the 
parlour  after  dinner,  whom  ye  would  fay  pafled  their  time 
agreeably.    Locke,  Letter  to  Molyneux. 

V  Scotland  and  Thee  did  each  in  other  live." 

Dryden,  Poems,  Vol.  31.  p.  220. 

w  We  are  alone  ;  here's  none  but  Thee  and  I." 

Shakefpear,  2  Hen.  VI. 

It  ought  in  both  places  to  be  Thou  ;  the  Nominative  Cafe 
to  the  Verb  exprefTed  or  underftood. 

[8]  %  But  Tbou,  falfe  Arcite,  never  JJjall  obtain 

Thy  bad  pretence."  Dryden,  Fables. 

*•  That  Thou  might  Fortune  to  thy  fide  engage." 

Prior. 

It  ougHt  to  be  fialt,  migbteft-  The  miftake  feems  to 
arife  from  the  confounding  of  Thou  and  You  as  as  equiva- 
lent in  every  refpedl ;  whereas  one  is  Singular,  the  other 
Plural.    See  above,  p.  33. 

u  Anil  where  foe'er  Thou  cajls  thy  view.'* 

Cowley,  on  the  Death  of  Hervey. 

"  There'/  [chere  are]  two  or  three  of  us  have  feen 
ftrange  fights."  Shakefpear,  Jul.  Gef. 

u  Great  fains  has  [have]  been  taken."  Pope,  P.  S.  to 
the  Gdyffey.' 

"  I  have  confidered  nvbat  have  [hath]  been  faid  on  both 
fides  in  this  controverfy.''    Tillotfon,'  Vol-  I.  Serm.  27. 


7<>  A  SHORT  INTRODUCTION 

Subftantive  after  the  Verb  is  fpoken  of  the  fame  thitfg  or 
perfon  with  the  Subftantive  before  the  Verb  :  as,  "  A  calf 
becomes  an  ox;"  u  Plautus  is  accounted  a  Poet «  J  am 
He."  Here  the  latter  Subilantive  is  in  the  Nominative 
Cafe  as  well  as  the  former  ;  and  the  Verb  is  faid  to  govern 
the  Nominative  Cafe  :  or,  the  latter  Subftantive  may  be 
laid  to  agree  in  Cafe  with  the  former. 

3d  Phrafe  :  The  Adjectives  after  a  Verb  Neuter  or  Paf- 
five,  in  lite  manner :  as,  44  Life  is  fieri,  and  Art  is  long.1* 

44  Exercife  is  ejlccmcd  whole/owe" 

4th  Phrafe  :  The  Subflantive  after  a  Verb  Active,  or 
Tranfitive  :  as  when  one  thing  rs  faid  to  a  8  upon,  or  da 
fomething  to,  anether  :  as,  44  to  open  a  door  ;"  u  to  build  a 
houfe  ;n  M  Alexander  conquered  the  Perfians."  Here  the 
thing  acted  upon  is  in  the  Objective  [9]  Cafe  :  as  it  appears 
jlaudy  when  it  is  expreffed  by  the  Pronoun,  which  has  a 


co«eoo«teot» 


44  One  would  think,  there  war  more  Sophifts  than  one 
had  a  finger  in  this  Volume  of  Letters.  Bentley,  Differs 
©n  Socrates'  EpifUes,  Sect.  IX. 

44  The  number  of  the  names  together  were  about  an  hun- 
dred and  twenty."    Acts,  i.  15.    See  alfo  Job,  xiv.  5. 

44  And  Rebekah  took  goodly  raiment  of  her  eldeft  forj 
Efau,  which  were  with  her  in  the  houfe,  and  put  tbcm  upon 
Jacob  her  youngeft  fon."    Gen.  xxvii.  15, 

"  If  the  blood  of  bulls  and  of  goats,  and  the  afhes  of  an 
beiter,  Jprinkl'mg  the  unclean,  fan&ijietb  to  the  purifying  ©f 
the  flefh."    Heb,  ix*  13.    See  alfo  Exod-  ix.  8,  9,  *o« 

fo]  44  For  who  love  I  fo  much? 

v  Shakefpear,  Merch.  of  Ven. 

**  Who'er  I  woo,  myfelf  would  be  his  wife." 

'  7  Id,  Twelfth  Night. 


TO  ENGLISH   GRAMMAR.  77 

proper  termination  from  that  Cafe  ;  ¥  Alexander  conquered 
them-,"  and  the  Verb  is  faid  to  govern  the  Objective  Cafe. 

5th  Phrafe  :  A  Verb  following  another  Verb  ;  as, "  boys 
love  to  play  :M  where  the  latter  Verb  is  in  the  Iftfihitiv* 
Mode. 

6th  Phrafe ;  When  one  thing '13  faid  to  belong  to  ano- 
ther ;  as,  u  Milton's  poems :"  where  the  thing  to  which  the 
other  belongs  is  placed  firft,  and  is  in  the  Poffeffive  Cafe  ; 
or  elfe  laftr  with  the  Prepofition  o/befbr$  it  r  as,  "  the  poems 
of  Milton."  [1] 

7th  Phrafe  :  When  another  Subftantive  is  added  to  ex- 
preis  and  explain  the  former  more  fully  *r  as,  w  Paul  th* 
Apoftle  ;"  u  King  George  ;"  where  they  are  both  in  the 
fame  cafe,  and  the  latter  is  faid  to  be  put  in  Appofitioa  Jo 
the  former. 


^Tell  who  loves  who  ;  what  favours  feme  partake^ 
And  who  is  jilted  for  another's  fake." 

Dryden,  Juvenal,  Sat. 

"  Thofe,  vjbo'hc  thought  true  to  his  party*"  Clarendon, 
Hift.  Vol.  T.  p.  667.  8vo.  "  Who  (hould  I  meet  the  other 
night, but  my  old  friend."  Spea.  N"o.  32.  M  Who  mould 
I  fee  in  the  lid  of  it,  but  the  Doctor  I"  Addifon,  Sped. 
No.  57.  "  Laying  the  fufpicion  upon  fomebody,  I  know 
not  <wboy  in  the  country."  Swift,  Apology  prefixed  to  a 
Tale  of  aTub„   In  all  thefe  places  it  ought  to  be  whom. 

Who 6  ver  the  King  favour sr 
The  Cardinal  will  find  employment  for, 
And  far  enough  from  court."  Id  .  Hen.  VIII. 

[1]  Phrafes  like  the  following,  though  very  common  are 
improper  ;  "  Much  depends  upon  the  Rule's  being  obferv- 
ed  ;  and  error  will  be  the  confequenee  of  its  beiug  long  ne- 
gkRedi"  For  here  is  a  Nouh,  and  a  Pronoun  reprcfenting  \tt 

G  % 


J9  A  SHORT  INTRODUCTION 

8th  Phrafe  :  When  the  quality  of  the  Subftantive  is  ex- 
prefled  by  adding  the  Adjective  to  it  ;  as,  «  a  wife  man 
*J  a  black  horfe."    Participles  have  the  nature  of  Adjec- 
tives y  as  "  a  learned  man  }"  u  a  loving  father." 

9th  Phrafe  :  An  Adjective  with  a  Verb  in  the  Infinitive 
Mode  following  it ;  a*,  "  worthy  to  die  "  fit  to  be 
trulled-" 

ictli  Phrafe:  When  a  ctrcumR'ance  is  added  to  a  Verb* 
or  to  ah  Adjective,  by  an  Adverb  :  as,  "  you  read  well 
4  he  is  very  prudent." 

t  iKh  :Phrafe:  When  a  circumflance  rs  added  to  a  Verb  or 
an  Adjective  by  a  Subftantive  with  a  Prepofition  before  it  ; 
Us,  "  1  write  for  you  M  he  fesiSs  with  care  "  ftudious  of 
praife      "  ready  for  mifchief*" 

1 2th  Phrafe:  When  the  fame  (Quality  in  different  Sub. 
jects  is  compared  ;  the  Adjective  in  the  Pofitive  having  af- 
ter it  the  Conjunction  as^  in  the  Comparative  the  Conjunc- 
tion than,  and  in  the    uperlative  the   Prepofition  cf :  as, 
white  as  fnow        wifer  than  I  ;"  "  greateft  of  all." 

The  Principal  P arts  of  a  Simple  Sentence  are  the  A* 
gent,  the  Attribute,  and  the  Object.  The  Agent  is  the 
thing  chiefly  fpbken  of;  the  Attribute  is  the  thing  or  action 
affirmed  or  denied  of  it  ;  and  the  Object  is  the  thing  affect* 
t&  by  fuch  action* 


eset  ©c  x  fr*oo  eo©« 


each  in  the  Pofieff.ve  cafe,  that  is,  under  Goverment  of  ano* 
ther  Noun,  but  "without  any  other  Noun  to  govern  it :  for 
being  obfervedy  and  being  negleSled,  are  not  Nouns  ;  nor 
can  you  fupply  the  place  of  the  PoiTeiXive  Cafe  by  the  Pre* 
pofition  of  before  the  Noun,  or  Pronoun.  Note  alfo,  that 
Adjectives  are  incapable  of  the  Pofiefiive  Cafe  :  the  follow- 
ing Phrafe,  for" example  Would  be  improper  :"It  was  happy 
tor  the  ftate,  that  Fabkis  continued  in  the  command 
Minucius :  the  former's  phlegm  was  a  check  upon  the  tet- 
ter's vivacity.'' 


TO   ENGLISH   GRAMMAR.  J$ 

In  Englith  the  Nominative  Cafe,  denoting  the  Agent, 
nfirally  goes  before  the  Verb,  or  attribution  ;  and  the  Ob- 
jective Cafe,  denoting  the  Object,  follows  the  Verb  Active  > 
and  it  is  the  order  that  detei mines  the  Cafe  in  Nouns:  as> 
"  Alexander  conquered  the  Perfians."  But  the  Pronoun, 
having  a  proper  form  for  each  of  thofe  Cafes,  fometimes 
when  it  is  in  the  ObjeeYive  Cafe,  is  placed  before  the  Verb* 
and  when  it  is  in  the  Nominative  Cafe  follows  the  Object 
and  Verb  :  2%  u  WUom  ye  ignorantly  worfhip,  him  de- 
clare I  unto  yoa."  And  the  Nominative  Cafe  is  fometimes 
placed  after  a  Verb  Neuter  :  as,  "  Upon  thy  right  hand  did 
Jland  the  Queen  "  On  a  fudden  appeared  the  King? 
And  frequently  with  the  Adverbs  there  and  then  :— as,, 
u  There  was  a  man"  "  Then  came  unto  him  the  Pha* 
rifees"  The  reafon  of  it  is  plain  :  the  Neuter  Verb  not 
admitting  of  an  Obiedlive  -Cafe  after  it,  no  ambiguity  of 
Cafe  can  arife  from  fuch  a  pofition  of  the  Noun  ;.  and  where 
no  inconvenience  attends  it,  variety  kfelf  is  pleafing.£*] 

Who,  which,  wkat,  and  the  Relative  that,  though  in 
the  Objective  Cafe,  are  always  placed  before  the  Verb  ;  as, 
are  alfo  their  Compounds,  whoever,  whofoever,  &c.  as, 
tt  He  whom  you  feek  "  "  This  is  what,  or  the  thing  which 
or  that,  you  want,    "  Whomfoever  you  pleafe  to  appoint*. 

When  the  Verb  is  a  Paflive,  the  Agent  and  Object 
change  places  in  the  Sentence    and  the  thing  acted  upon  is 


[*]  "  It  mull:  then  be  meant  of  kis  fins  who  makes,  not 
©f  him  who  ^corne  r,  the  convert.'*     Atterbury,  Ser*  I.  2* 

"  In  him  who  is,  and  him  who  fin  ds  a  friend" 

Pope,  Eflay  on  'Man. 

"  Eye  hath  not  fzen,  nor  ear  heard,  neither  have  enter- 
td  into  the 'heart  of  man,  the  th'mgs,  which  God  hath  pre- 
pared  for  them  that  love  him*"  1.  Cor.  ii.  9. 

There  feems  to  be  an  impropriety  in  thefe  fentences,  in 
which  the  fame  Noun  ferves  in  a  double  capacity,  perform- 
ing at  the'  fame  time  the  offices  both  of  the  Nominative  and 
Objective  Cafe* 


SO  A  SHORT  ItfTRODUCTrON- 

in  the  Nominative  Cafe, and  the  Agent  is  accompanied  with 

a  Frepofition  ;  as,  "  The  Perflans  were  conquered  by  Alex- 

anderJ* 

The  Action  exprefled  by  a  Neuter  Verb  being  confined 
within  the  Agent,  iuch  Verb  cannot  admit  of  an  Objectise 
Cafe  after  it,  denoting  a  perfon  or  thing  as  the  Object  ©f 
action.  Whenever  a  Noun  is  immediately  annexed  to  a 
preceding  Neuter  Verb,  it  either  exprefles  the  fame  notion 
with  the  Verb  ;  as,  to  dream  a  dream  to  live  a  virtuous 
life  :  or  denotes  only  the  circumfiance  of  the  action,  a  Fre- 
pofition being  underftood  ;  as,  to  fieep  all  night,  that  is, 
through  all  the  night  ;  to  walk  a  mile,  that  is,  through 
the  rpace  of  a  mile. 

For  the  fame  reafon,  a  Neuter  Verb  cannot  become  a  Paf- 
five.  In  a  Neuter  Verb  the  Agent  and  Object  are  the- 
lame,  and  cannot  be  feparated  even  in  imagination  ;  as  in  the 
examples,  to  Jleep,  to  walk  :  but  when  the  Verb  is  Paflive,. 
ene  thing  is  acted  upon  by  another,  really,  or  by  fuppofition^ 
different  from  it.  [2I 


[2].  That  fome  Neuter  Verbs  take  a  Paflive  Form,  but 
without  a  Paflive  Signification,  has  been  obferved  above  ^ 
fee  p.  50.  Here  I  fpeak  of  their  becoming  both  in  Form 
and  Signification  Paflive  ;  and  (hall  endeavour  further  to 
illuftrate  the  rule  by  example.  To  fplit,  like  many  other 
Englifh  Verbs,  hath  both-  an  Active  and  a  Neuter  fignifica- 
tion  :  according  to  the  fonner  we  fay,  "  the  force  of  gun- 
powder fflit  the  rock  according  to  the  latter,  "  the  fhip 
fp lit  upon  the  reck  and  converting  the  Verb  Active  into 
a  Paflive  we  may  fay,  6  the  rock  was  Jplit  by  the  force  o£ 
gun-powder  ;  or, u  the  Jhip  was  fplit  upon  the  rock."  But 
we  cannot  fay  with  any  propriety,  turning  the  Verb  Neuter 
into  a  Paflive  by  inverfion  of  the  fentence,  M  the  rock  was 
fplit  upon  by  the  fhiu  $9  as  in  the  paflage  following  :— 
u  What  fuccefs  thefe  labours  of  mine  have  had,  he  knows 
bed  for  whafe  glory  they  were  defjgned.  It  will  be  one 
fejre  and  comfortable  fign  to  me  ti>at  tJfeey  have  had  fonie,.  if 


TO  ENGLISH  GRAMMAR.  &I- 

A  Noun  of  Multitude,  [3]  or  fignifying  Many,  may  have 
the  Verb  and  Pronoun  agreeing  with  it  either  in  the  Singu- 
lar or  Plural  Number  ;  yet  not  without  regard  to  the  import 
of  the  word,  as  conveying  unity  or  plurality  of  idea  ;  as, 
My  people  is  foolifh  ;  they  have  not  known  me."  Jer.  iv. 
22.  "  The  ajembly  of  the  wicked  have  inclofed  me:" 
Pfal.  xxi.  16.  perhaps  more  properly  than,  "  bath  inclofed 
me."  w  The  ajfembly  was  very  numerous  su  much  more 
properly  than  M  were  very  numerous.'' 

Two  or  more  Nouns  in  ti  e  Singular  Number,  joined  to- 
gether, by  one  or  more  Copulative  Conjunctions,  [*]  have 

it  (hall  appear,  that  the  words  I  have  fpoken  to  you  to-day 
are  not  in  vain  ;  if  they  fhall  prevail  with  you  in  any  mea- 
fure  to  avoid  thofe  rocks  which  are  ufually  fplit  upon  in  E- 
lecYious,  where  multitudes  of  different  inclinations,  capaci- 
ties, and  judgments  are  inte^Red," 

Atterbury,  Sermons,  IV.  1 2# 

[3]  "  And  reftores  to  his  Ijland  that  tranquility  and  re- 
pofe,  to  which  they  had  been  Jit  angers  during  his  abfence." 
Pope,  Diflertation  prefixed  to  the  Odyfley.  Ijland  is  not 
a  Noun  of  Multitude  :  it  ought  to  be,  his  people  ;  or,  it  had 
been  a  Jiranger.  fi  Whatreafon  have  the  Cburcb  of  Rome- 
to  talk  of  modedy  in  this  cafe  ?"  Tillotfon,  Vol.  I.Serm. 
49.  "  There  is  indeed  no  Qonftitution  fo  tame  and  can;- 
lefs  of  their  own  defence,  where  any  perfon  dares  to  give 
the  leaft  fign  or  intimation  of  being  a  traitor  in  his  heart." 
Addifon,  Freeholder,  No.  52.  a  All  the  virtues  <  f  man- 
kind are  to  be  counted  upon  a  few  fingers,  but  bis  follies 
and  vices  are  innumerable. "  Swift,  Preface  to  Tale  of  a 
Tub.  Is  not  mankind  in  this  place  a  Nou.i  of  Multitude, 
and  fuch  as  requires  the  Pronoun  referring  to  it  to  be  in  the 
Plural  Number,  their  ?  t 

[*]  The  Conjunction  Disjunctive  hath  a  contrary  effect  ; 
and  as  the  Verb,  Noun, or  Pronoun,  is  referred  to  the  pre- 
ceding terms  taken  feparately,  it  muft  be  in  the  fi-gular 
Number*    The  following  Sentences  are  faulty  in  this  re^ 


92  A  SHORT  INTRODUCTION 


Verbs,  Nouns,  and  Pronouns,  agreeing  with  them  it)  the 
Plural  Number:  as,  "  Socrates  and  Plato  were  wife  ;  they 
were  the  moft  eminent  Pbilofcpbcrs  of  Greece."  But 
iometimes,  after  an  enumeration  of  particulars  thus  connect- 
ed, the  Verb  follows  in  the  Singular  Number:  and  is  un- 
derfiood  as  applied  to  each  of  the  preceding  terms  :  as, — 
lS  The  glorious  Inhabitants  ef  thofe  facred  palaces,  where 
nothing  but  light  and  bieffecl  immortality,  no  fhadow  of 
matter  for  tears,  discontentments,  griefs,  and  uncomfortable 
paflions  to  work  upon  ;  but  all  joy,  tranquility,  and  peace, 
even  for  ever  and  ever,  doth  dwelV  Hooker,  Book  i.  4. 
44  Sand,  and  (alt,  and  a  mafs  of  iron,  is  eafier  to  bear,  than 
a  man  without  underftanding."    Ecclus.  xxii.  15.  [f] 

If  the  Singulars  fo  joined  together  are  of  feveral  Perfons, 
in  making  the  Plural  Pronoun  agree  with  them  in  Pcifon* 
the  fecond  Perfon  takes  place  of  the  third,  and  the  firft  ot 
both  :  u  He  and  Ton  and  I  wen  it  at  t;he  hazard  of  our 
lives  :  Tfjk  and  lie  Hiared  it  between  ycu" 


fpefl  :  h  A  man  may  fee  a  metaphor,  or  an  allegory,  in  a 
picture,  as  well  as  read  them  [it]  in  a  defcription.,)  Addi- 
ibn,  Dial.  J.  on  Medals.  "  Itmuft  indeed  be  confeffed,  that 
a,  lampoon,  or  a  fatire,  <2onot  carry  in  them  rcberry  or  mur- 
der."   Jd.  Sped.  No.  23. 

[t]  "  And  fo  was  alfo  James  and  John  the  fons  of 
Zebedee,  which  were  partners  with  Simon."  Luke  v-  10. 
Here  the  two  Nouns  are  not  only  joined  together  by  the 
Conjunction  Copulatire,  but  are  moreover  clofely  connected 
in  fenfe  by  the  part  of  the  fenteuce  immediately  following, 
in  which  the  correfpondent  Nouns  and  Verbs  are  Plural  ; 
the  Verb  therefore  preceding  in  the  Singular  Number  ij 
highly  improper. 


TO   ENGLISH   GRAMMAR.  8j 

The  Neuter  Pronoun  it  is  fometimes  employed  to  expreis, 
i .  the  fubjec)  of  any  djfcourfe  or  enquiry:  2.  the  ftate  or 
condition  of  any  thing  orperfon  :  3,  the  thing,  whatever  it 
be,  that  is  the  caufe  of  any  effect  or  event ;  or  any  perfun 
or  perfons  confidered  merely  as  a  Caufe.    Examples  ; 

1.  w  'Twas  at  the  royal  feafc  for  Perfia  won 

By  Philip's  godlike  fort?'  Bryden* 

#  Who  is  it  in  the  preft  that  calls,  on  me  ?" 

Shakeipear8  Jul.  CxC9 

2.  "  H.  How  is  it  with  you,  Lady  _? 
Q^Alas  !  how  is  it  with  you  V9 

Shakefpear,  Hamlet, 

3.  a  You  heard  her  fay  herfelf,'**'  was  not  I— 
'Twas  I  that  kill'd  her.'' 

Shakefpear,  Othello. 
"  'Tis  tbefe  that  early  taints  the  female  foul." 

Pope# 

&  It  rains  ,  it  mines  ;  it  thunderV' 

From  which  laft  example?  it  plainly  appears,  that  there  is  no 
.foch  thing  in  Engliih,  nor  indeed  in  any  language,  as  a  fort 
of  Verbs  which  are  really  Jmperforral.  The  Agent  or  Per- 
ion  in  Englifh  is  exprefled  by  the  Neuter  Pronoun  :  in  fome 
other  languages  it  is  omitted,  but  underftood.  [4] 

The  Neuter  Pronoun  it  is  fometimes  omitted,  and  under- 
Trobd  :  thus  we  fay,  "  as  appears  ;  as  follows;"  for,  "  as  it 
appears  ;  as  it  follows  and,  "  may  be, "  for,  M  it  may 
be?'  -  •  .    .  ■  ox  tn>'t*  m  *u  ' 

The  Verb  to  Be  has  always  a  Nominative  Gafe  after  it  5 
'i  -i  *  It  *was  I,  and  not  2Je,  that  did  it      unlefs  it  be  in 


•OOO  ?OO6  30O«  OOOO 


1  [4]  An  Example  of  Impropriety  in  the  ufe  of  the  Neuter 
Pronoun,  fee  below,  p.  97 — 98.  note  r. 


84  A  SHORT  INTRODUCTION 

the  Infinitive  Mode  ;  "  Though  you  thought  it  to  be  him." 

ts3 

I  he  Adverb?  *vbens  nubile,  aftet,  &c.  being  left  out, 
the  phrafe  is  formed  with  the  Participle  independent  on  the 
red  of  the  lentence  ;  as,  44  The  doors  being  fhut,  Jefus 
{bod  in  the  rnidft."  This  is  called  the  Cafe  Abfolute.  And 
the  Cafe  is  in  Lnglifh  always  the  Nominative  ;  as, 

44  God  from  the  mount  of  Sinai,  whofe  grey  top 
Shall  tremble,  He  defending,  [6]  will  himfelf, 

nnnmum 

[5]  44  Whom  do  men  fay  that  I  am  ? — But  ivbom  fay 
ye,  that  I  am  ?"  Matt.  xvi.  13.  15.  So  likewife  Mark 
van.  27,  29.  Luke  ix.  18,  20.  44  Whom  think  ye,  that 
I  am  §"  A£b  xxiii.  25.  It  ought  in  all  thefe  places  to  be 
nvbo  ;  which  is  not  governed  by  the  Verb  fay  or  think,  but 
by  the  Verb  am  ;  or  agrees  in  Cafe  with  the  Pronoun  I. 
If  the  Verb  were  in  the  Infinitive  Mode,  it  would  require 
the  Objective  Cafe  of  the  Relative,  agreeing  with  the  Pro- 
noun me :  u  Wbem  think  ye,  or  do  ye  think,  me  to  be  ?*' 

M  To  that,  ivbicb  once  was  thee."  Prior. 

It  ought  to  be,  wbicb  was  tbou  ;  or,  wbicb  thou  waft* 

H  It  is  not  me  you  are  in  love  with."     Spect.  No.  290. 

The  Prepofition  with,  mould  govern  the  Relative  ivbom 
underftood,  not  the  Antecedent  me  ;  which  ought  to  be  I. 
"  It  is  net  I,  or,  I  am  not  the  ferjon,  with  whom  you  are 
in  love." 

44  Art  thou  proud  yet  ? 
Ay,  that  I  am  not  tbee*'  Shakefpear,  Timon. 

11  Tisne  was,  when  none  would  cry,  that  oaf  was  me  ; 
But  now  you  ftrive  about  your  pedigree." 

Dryden,  Prologue. 
"  Jmpoffible  !  it  can't  be  me."  Swift. 

[6]  On  which  place  fays  Dr.  Bentley,  "  The  Context 
denrmdsthat  it  be— 2£m  defcending,  lib  defcendente.'  — 


TO  ENGLISH  GRAMMAR.  S$ 

In  thunder,  lightning,  and  loud  trumpet's  found, 
Ordain  them  laws."    Milton,  P.  L.  xii.  227. 

To  before  a  Verb,  is  the  fi gn  of  the  Infinitive  Mode  :  but 
there  are  fome  Verbs,  which  have  commonly  other  Verbs 
following  them  in  the  Infinitive  Mode  without  the  fign  to  ; 
as,  bid,  dare,  needy  make,  fee,  bear,  feci ;  as  alio  let, 
and  fometimes  bave>  not  ufed  as  Auxiliaries ;  as,  "  I  bade 


But  bim  is  not  the  Ablative  Cafe,  for  the  Englifh  knows  no 
fuch  Cafe  ;  nor  does  bint  without  a  Prepofjtion  on  any  oc- 
cafion  anfwer  to  the  Latin  Ablative  illo,  I  might  with  bet- 
ter reafon  contend,  that  it  ought  to  be  M  bis  defcending," 
becaufe  it  is  in  Greek,  in  the  Genitive  ;  and  it  would  be  as 
good  Grammar,  and  as  proper  Englifli.  This  comes  of  forc- 
ing the  Englifh  under  the  Rules  of  a  foreign  Language,  with 
which  it  has  little  concern:  and  this  ugly  and  deformed 
faulty  to  ufe  his  own  expreffion,  Bentley  has  endeavoured 
to  impofe  upon  Milton  in  feveral  places  :  fee  P.  L.  vii.  15. 
ix.  829.  883.  H47»  x.  267.  icoi.  On  the  other  hand, 
where  Milton  has  been  really  guilty  of  this  fault,  he,  very 
inconfiftently  with  himfelf,  corre&s  him,  and  fets  him  right. 
His  Latin  Grammar  Rules  were  happily  out  of  his  head,  and 
by  a  kind  of  vernacular  inftinSl  (fo,  I  imagine,  he  would 
call  it)  he  perceived  that  his  Author  was  wrong. 

"  For  only  in  deftroying  I  find  eafe 
To  my  relentlefs  thoughts  ;  and,  bim  defiroy'd, 
Or  won  to  what  may  work  his  utter  lofs, 
For  whom  all  this  was  made,  all  this  will  foon 
Follow,  as  to  him  link'd  with  weal  or  woe." 

P.  L.  ix.  1  29. 

It  ought  to  be,  "  be  deftroy'd— . .that  is,  "  be  being  de- 
ftroy'd."    Bently  corre&s  it>  «  and  man  deftroy'd." 

.Archbifhop  Tillotfon  has  fallen  into  the  fame  miftake  t 
H 


S6  A   SHORT  INTRODUCTION 


him  do  it ;  you  dare  not  do  it ;  1  faw  him  [7]  do  it ;  I  heard 
him  fay  it.''  [8] 

The  Infinitive  Mode  has  much  of  the  nature  of  a  Sub- 
ftantive,  exprelTmg  the  aclion  itfelf  which  the  Verb  fignifies; 
as  the  Participle  has  the  nature  of  an  Ac^jeclive.  Thus  the 
Infinitive  Mode  does  the  office  of  a  Subftantive  in  different 
cafes;  in  the  Nominative;  as,  'e  to  play  is  pleafant  :M 
in  the  Objective;  as  "  boys  love  to  piay"  In  Greek  it 
admits  of  the  Article  through  all  its  cafes,  with  the  Prepofi- 
tion  in  the  Oblique  cafes ;  in  Englifh  the  Article  is  not 
wanted,  but  the  Prepcfition  may  be  uled  :  "  For  to  'will  is 
prefent  with  me  ;  but  to  perform  that  which  is  good  I  find 
not,"    Rom.  vii.  18.    u  All  their  woiks  they  do  for  to 


0000:000  *oo© 


*  Solomon  was  of  this  mind  ;  and  I  make  no  doubt,  but 
he  made  as  wife  and  true  Proverbs  as  any  body  has  done 
fmce  :  Him  only  excepted^  who  was  a  much  greater  and 
wifer  man  than  Soloman."    Serm.  I.  53. 

[7]  "  To  Jee  fo  many  to  make  fo  little  conference  of  fo 
great  a  (in. "    Tillotfon,  Serm.  I.  22. 

w  It  cannot  but  be  a  delightful  fpecxacle  to  God  and  An- 
gels, to  fee  a  young  perfon,  befieged  by  powerful  temptati- 
ons on  either  fide,  to  acquit  hirnfelf  glorioufly,  and  refo- 
lutely  to  bold  againft  the  mod  violent  afTaults  :  to  be- 
hold one  in  the  prime  and  flower  of  his  age,  that  is  courted 
by  pleafures  and  honours,  by  the  devil  and  all  the  bewitch- 
ing vanities  of  the  world,  to  rejeel  all  thefe,  and  to  cleave 
fiedfafUy  unto  God."  Ibid.  Serm.  54.  The  impropriety  of 
the  phrafes  diftinguifhed  by  Italic  Characters  is  evident.?— 
See  Matt,  xv-  31. 

{8]  4k  What,  know  you  not,  . 

That  being  mechanical,  you  Qyigqt  not  ^alk  . 

Upon  a  labouring  dny,  without  the  fign 

Of  your  prpfeffion  I"    Shakefpear,  Jul.  Caef. 

Eoth  Grammar  and  Cuftam  require,  "  ought  not  to  walL" 
Qugbt  is  not  one  of  the  Auxiliary  Verbs,  %h»'  often  reck* 


TO  ENGLISH   GRAMMAR.  87 

be  feen  of  men."  Matt,  xxiii  5.  [1]  (But  the  ufe  of  tha 
Prepofition,  in  this  and  the  like  phrafes,  is  now  become  ob» 
folete.) 

*  For  not  to  have  been  dipfd  in  Lethe's  lake 
Could  lave  the  lbn  of  Thetis  from  to  die-" 

Spencer, 

Perhaps  therefore  the  Infinitive  and  the  Participle  might 
be  more  properly  called  the  Subflantive  Mode  and  the  Ad- 
jeftive  Mode.  [2} 


eooooceococoscco 


oned  among  them  :  that  it  cannot  be  fuch,  is  plain  from 
this  consideration  ;  that  it  never  admits  of  another  Verb  im- 
mediately following  it,  without  the  Prepofuion  to. 

M  To  vjijh  him  vjrejlle  with  affection." 

Sbakefpear,  Much  Adc. 

"  Nor  with  lefs  dread  the  loud  j 
Etheriai  trumpet  from  on  high  9gan  blow."  !  . 

Milton,  P.  L,  vi.  60. 

Thefe  phrafes  are  poetical,  and  by  no  means  allowable  ra 
profe. 

[1]  The  following  fentences  feem  defective  either  in  the 
construction,  or  the  order  of  the  words  :  "  Why  do  }e  that, 

which  is  not  lawful  to  do  on  the  fabbath  day  ?  -The 

fhew-bread,  which  is  not  lawful  to  eat>  but  for  the  priefts 
alone."  Luke  vi.  2,  4.  The  Conuruction  may  be  recti- 
fied by  fnpplving  it  ;  "  which  it  is  not  lawful  to  do  ;  which 
it  is  not  lawful  to  eat  :  or  the  order  of  the  words  in  this 
manner  ;  ^  to  do  wbich^  to  eat  which,  is  not  lawful  :" 
where  the  Infinitive  to  do,  to  eat,  does  the  office  of  the 
Nominative  Cafe,  av,d  the  Relative  which  is  in  the  Object- 
ive Cafe. 

[2]  "  Here  you  may  fee,  that  viGons  are  to  dread." 

Dryden,  Fables. 

"  I  am  not  like  other  men,  to  envy  the  talents  I  cannot 
reach."    Tale  of  a  Tub,  Preface. 


A  SHORT  INTRODUCTION 


The  Participle  with  the  Prepofition  before  it,  and  ftill  re- 
taining its  Government,  anfwers  to  what  is  called  in  Latin 
the  Gerund  :  as,  M  Happinefs  is  to  be  attained,  by  avoiding 
evil,  and  by  doing  good ;  by  feeking  peace,  and  by  purfu- 
ing  it." 

The  Participle,  with  an  Article  before  it,  and  the  Prepo- 
sition of  after  it,  becomes  a  Subftantive,  exprefling  the  Ac- 
tion itfelf  which  the  Verb  fjgnifies :  [3]  as,  "  Thefe  are  the 
Rules  of  Grammar,  by  the  obferving  of  which,  you  may 
avoid  miftakes."  Or  it  may  be  exprelfed  by  the  Participle 
or  Gerund  ;  u  by  obferving  which  2"  not,  *  by  obferving 
of  which;  nor,  "  by  the  obferving  which:'*  for  either  of 
thofe  two  phrafes  would  be  a  confounding  of  two  diftintt 
forms* 

•O6cot«oetoesoo« 

14  That  all  cur  doings  may  be  ordered  by  thy  govern- 
ance, to  do  always  that  is  righteous  in  thy  light."  Litur- 
gy. The  Infinitive  in  thefe  places  feems  to  be  improperly 
ufed. 

[3]  ru^e  arifes  from  the  nature  and  idiom  of  our  lan" 
guage,  and  from  as  plain  a  principle  as  any  on  which  it  is 
founded  :  namely,  that  a  word  which  has  the  article  before 
it,  and  the  PofTeilive  Prepofition  of  after  it,  muft  be  a  Noun ; 
and  if  a  Noun,  it  ought  to  follow  the  ConftrucVion  of  a 
Noun,  and  not  to  have  the  Regimen  of  a  Verb.  It  is  the 
Participial  Termination  of  this  fort  of  words  that  is  apt  to 
deceive  us,  and  make  us  treat  them  as  if  they  were  an  am- 
phibious fpecies,  partly  Nouns,  and  partly  Verbs.  I  be- 
lieve there  are  hardly  any  of  our  Writers,  who  have  not 
fallen  into  this  inaccuracy.  That  it  is  fuch,  will  perhaps 
more  clearly  appear,  if  we  examine  and  refolve  one  or  two 
examples  in  this  kind  :  

"  God  who  didfl.  teach  the  hearts  of  thy  faithful  people, 
by  the  fending  to  them  the  light  of  thy  Holy  Spirit : — 99 
Collect,  Whitfunday.  Sending  is  in  this  place  a  Noun ; 
for  it  is  accompanied  with  the  Article :  neverthelefs  it  is  alfo 
a  Tranfitive  Verb,  for  it  governs  the  Noun  Light  in  the 


TO  ENGLISH    GRAMMAR.  89 

I  will  add  another  example^  and  that  of  the  be  ft  autho_ 
rity  : — M  The  middle  ftation  off  life  feem3to  be  the  mod:  ad 
vantageoufly  fituated  for  the  gaining  of  wifdom.  "Poverty 
turns  our  thoughts  too  much  upon  the  /applying  of  our 
wants,  and  riches  upon  enjoying  our  fuperfluities."  Ad- 
difon,  Sped.  No.  464. 

Objective  Cafe:  but  this  is  inconfiftent ;  let  it  be  either  the 
one  or  the  other,  and  abide  by  its  proper  Conftru&bn. 
That  thefe  Participial  Words  are  lbmetimes  real  Nouns  is 
undeniable  ;  for  they  have  a  Plural  Number  as  fuch ;  as, 
"  the  outgoing*  of  the  morning.'*  The  fending  is  the 
fame  with  the  MiJJion  1  which  neceilarily  requires  the  Pre- 
pofition  of  after  it,  to  mark  the  relation  between  it  and  the 
light;  the  mijjlon  of  the  light  ;  and  lb,  the  fending  of 
the  light*  The  Pharfe  would  be  proper  either  way,  by 
keeping  to  the  Conftru&ion  of  the  Noun,  by  the  fending 
of  the  light  1  or  of  the  Participle,  or  Gerund,  by  fending 
the  light* 

Again :  *  Sent  to  prepare  the  way  of  thy  Son  our 
Saviour,  by  preaching  of  repentance: — **  Colled,  St. 
John  Baptifh  Here  the  Participle,  or  Gerund,  hath  as  im- 
properly the  PrepoGtion  of  after  it;  and  £b  is  deprived  of  it* 
Verbal  Regimen,  by  which  as  a  Tranfitive  it  would  govern 
the  Noun  Repentance  in  the  Objective  Cafe.  Befides,  the 
phrafe  is  rendered  obfeure  and  ambiguous ;  for  the  obvious 
meaning  of  it  in  its  prefent  form  is,  H  by  preaching  con- 
cerning repentance,  or  on  that  fubjedt  whereas  the  fenfe 
intended  is, i  by  publifhing  the  Covenant  of  Repentance,  and 
declaring  Repentance  to  be  a  condition  of  acceptance  with 
God**  The  phrafe  would  have  been  perfect iy  right  and  de- 
terminate to  this  fenfe  either  way ;  by  the  Noun,-  by  the 
preaching  of  repentance  ;  or  by  the  Participle,  by  preach* 
ing  repentance. 

"  So  well  bred  Spaniel*  civilly  delight 

In  mumbling  *f  the  game  they  dare  not  bke." 

Pope,  Epift.  to  Arbuthnot* 

H  z 


9o 


A   SHORT  INTRODUCTION 


The  Participle  frequently  becomes  altogether  an  Adjec- 
tive ;  when  it  is  joined  to  a  Subltantive  merely  to  denote 
its  quality  ;  without  any  refpedl  to  time  ;  exprefling,  not  an 
Action,  but  a  Habit  ;  and  as  fuch  it  admits  of  the  degrees 
of  Companion  ;  as,  a  learned,  a  more  learned,  a  mod  learn- 
ed, man  j  a  loving,  more  loving,  molt  loving,  father.  [4] 


44  By  continual  mortifying  our  corrupt  afFecYions."  Col- 
left,  Eafte.r-Eve. 

It  ought  to  be,  by  the  continual  mortifying  ofy  or  by 
Continually  mortifying^  our  corrupt  affsclions." 

.  [4]  In  a  few  i nftances  the  AcYive  Piefent  Participle  hath 
been  vulgarly  ufed  in  a  Paflive  fenfe  ;  as,  beholding  for 
beholden  ;  owing-tor  owen,  And  lbme  of  our  writers  are 
not  quite  free  from  this  miftake  :  44  I*  would  not  be  behold- 
ing to  fortune  for  any  part  of  the  victory*"  Sidney*. 

44  I'll  teach  you  all  what*s  owing  to  your  Queen." 

Dryden 

"  The  debt,  owing  from  one  country  to  the  other,  can-, 
not  be  paid  without  real  effe&s  fent  thither  to  that  value." 

Locke* 

M  We  have  the  means  in  our  hands,  and  nothing  but  the 
application  of  them  is  wanting" 

*4  His  eftate  is  dipped,  and  is  eating  out  with  ufury." 

Steele,  Sped.  No.  1 14. 

So  like^ife  the  Paflive  Participle  is  often  employed  in  an 
.Active  fenfe  in  the  word  mijlaken^  ufed,  in  (lead  of  tnjfr- 
faking : 

44  You  are  too  much  mtfiaken  in  this  King. 

Shake fpear,  Hen.  Vi 

44 1  miftake  ;''  or,  44  1  am  miftaking  ;"  means,  44  I  mifun- 
derftand  :"  but,  "  I  am  miftaken,"  means  properly,  M  I  am 
arjifiinderftood." 


TO  ENGLISH  GRAMMAR-  g\ 

Simple  Sentences  are,  i.  Explicative,  or  explaining:—. 
2.  Interrogative,  or  aiking  ;  3.  Imperative  or  command- 
ing* C5I 

1 .  An  Explicative  Sentence,  is  when  a  thing  is  faid  to  be, 
©r  not  to  be  ;  to  do  or  not  to  do  ;.  to  Suffer  or  not  to  fuffer, 
in  a  direct  manner^  as  in  the  foregoing  examples.  If  the 
Sentence  be  Negative,  the  Adverb  not  is  placed  after  the 
Auxiliary  ;  or  after  the  Verb  itfelf  when  it  has  no  Auxilia- 
ry :  as,  u  it  did  not  touch  him  or,,  "  it  touched  him 
not.  [6}; 


•eo«o«oesoce 


But  in  fome  of  thefe  Participles  the  Abufe  is  fo  authorized 
by  Guftom  as  almoft  to  have  become  an  Idiom  of  the  lan- 
guage. 

[5]  Thefe  are  the  three  Primary  Modes,  or  manners  of 
expreffing  our  thoughts  concerning  the  being,  doing,  or  fuf  • 
fering  of  a  thing.  If  it  comes  within  our  knowledge,  we 
explain  it,  or  make  a  declaration  of  it  ;  if  we  are  ignorant 
of  it  or  doubtful,  we  make  an  inquiry  about  it  ;.  if  it  is  not 
immediately  in  our  power,  we  exprefs  our  de fire  or  will  con- 
cerning it.  In  Theory  therefore  the  Interrogative  form 
feems  to  have  as  good  a  Title  to  a  Mode  of  its  own,  as  either 
of  the  other  two  :■  but  Practice  has  determined  it  other- 
wife  ;  and  has  in  all  the  languages  with  which  we  are  much 
acquainted,  fupplied  the  place  of  an  Interrogative  Mode, 
either  by  Particles  of  interrogation,  or  by  a  peculiar  order 
of  the  words  in  thefentence.  If  it  be  true,  as  I  have  fome- 
where  read,  that  the  Modes  of  the  Verbs  are  more  numer- 
ous in  the  Lapland  Tongue  than  in  any  other,  poffibly  the 
Laplanders  may  be  provided  with  an  Interrogative  Mode. 

[6]  M  The  burning  lever  not  deludes  his  pains.'* 

Dryden,  Ovid.  Me  tarn  ..Book  xii. 

"I  hope  my  Lord,  faid  he*  1  not  offend." 

Dryden,  Fables. 

Thefe  examples  make  the  impropriety  of  placing  the.  Ad^ 


92  A  SHORT  INTRODUCTION 

2.  In  an  Interrogative  Sentence,  or  when  a  Queflion  is 
afked,  the  Nominative  Cafe  follows  the  Principal  Verb,  or 
the  Auxiliary  :  as,u  <was  it  be  tn  a  did  Alexander  con- 
quer the  Perfians  ?"  So  that  the  Queftion  depends  entirely 
on  the  oider  of  the  words.  [7] 

3.  In  an  Imperative  Sentence,  when  a  thing  is  command- 
ed to  be,  to  do,  to  fuffer,  or  not,  the  Nominative  Cafe  fol- 
lows the  Verb  or  the  Auxiliary  :  as,  "  Go,  thou  traitor 


verb  not  before  the  Verb  very  evident.  Shakefpear  fre- 
quently places  the  Negative  before  the  Verb  : 

"  She  not  denies  it."  Much  Ado* 

w  For  men 

Can  counfel,  and  give  comfoit  to  that  griefj 

Which  they  themfelves  not  feel.''  Ibid* 

It  feems  therefore,  as  if  this  order  cf  words  had  anciently  been 
much  in  ufe,  though  now  growaaltogether  obiolete. 

[7]  "  Did  he  not  fear  the  Lord, and  befougbt  the  Lord* 
and  the  Lord  repented  him  of  the  evil,  which  he  had  pro- 
nounced againft  them  ?"  Jer.  xxvi-  19*  Here  the  Interro- 
gative and  Explicative  forms  are  confounded.  It  ought  to- 
be,  44  Did  he  not  fear  the  Lord,  and  befeecb  the  Lord  ?  and 
did  not  the  Lordrcpent  him  of  the  evil?". — "If  a  man  have 
an  hundred  flieep,  and  one  of  them  be  gone  aftray,  dotb  he 
not  leave  the  ninety  and  nine,  and  goctb  into  the  moun- 
tains, and  feeketb  that  which  is  gone  aftray  i"  Matt,  xviii. 
12.  It  ought  to  be,  go,  and/ieA  ;  that  is;  "  dotb  ke  not 
£o}  and  feck  that  which  is  gone  aftray  2" 


TO  ENGLISH   GRAMMAR.  93 

or,  w  do  thou  go  :"  or  the  Auxiliary  let  with  the  Objective 
[8]  Cafe  after  it  is  ufed  :  as,  u  Let  us  be  gone."[Q] 
The  Adjective  in  Englifh,  having  no  variation  of  Gender 

MMftMVMMIfAM 

[8]  "  For  ever  in  this  humble  cell 

Let  Tbee  and  I,  my  fair-one,  dwell/'  Prior. 
It  ought  to  be  Me* 

[9]  It  is  net  eafy  to  give  particular  rules  for  the  manage- 
ment of  the  Modes  and  the  Times  of  Verbs  with  refpect  to 
one  another,  fo  that  they  may  be  proper  and  confident  :  nor 
would  it  be  of  much  ufe  ;  for  the  beft  rule  that  can  be  giv- 
en is  this  very  general  one,  to  obferve  what  the  fenfe  ne- 
ceflarily  requires.  But  it  may  be  of  ufe  to  confider  a  few 
examples  that  feem  faulty  in  thefe  refpects,  and  to  examine 
where  the  fault  lies, 

"  Some  who  the  depths  of  eloquence  have  fiund, 
In  that  unnavigable  Stream  zvcre  drami'd." 

Dryden,  Juv.  Sat.  x. 

The  event  mentioned  in  the  Hrft  line  is  plainly  prior  in  time 
to  that  mentioned  in  the  fecond  ;  this  is  fubfeqnent  to  that, 
and  a  confequence  of  it.  The  firft  event  is  mentioned  in  the 
Prefcnt  Perfect.  Time  ,  it  is  prefer.t  and  completed  ;  u  they 
have  [now]  jound  the  depths  of  eloquence."  1  he  fecond 
event  is  expreffed  in  the  Pad  Indefinite  Time  ;  it  is  pad  and 
gone  ;  but  when  it  happened,  uncertain  :  kC  they  were 
drown  d"  We  obferved,  that  the  lafl  mentioned  event  is 
fubfcqucnt  to  the  flrd :  but  how  can  the  Paft  Time  be  fub- 
fequent  to  the  Prefent  ?  It  therefore  ought  to  be  in  the  fe- 
cond line  arc,  or  have  been,  drown'd,  in  the  Prefent  Inde- 
finite, or  Perfect,  which  is  confident  with  the  Prefent  Per- 
fect Time  in  the  firft  line  ;  or  in  the  firfl  line  bad  found  in 
the  Pafl  Perfect:,  which  would  be  confident  with  the  Paft 
Indefinite  in  the  fecond  line. 

<c  Friend  to  my  life,  which  did  not  you  prolong, 
The  world  bad  wanted  many  an  idle  long." 

Pope,  Epift.  to  Arbuthnot« 


94  A   SHORT  INTRODUCTION 


or  Number,  cannot  but  agree  with  the  Subftantive  in  thofe 
refpefts;  fome  of  the  Pronominal  Adjectives  only  excepted, 


It  ought  to  be,  either,  bad  not  you  prolonged  ;  or,  would 
want. 

There  feeras  to  be  a  fault  of  the  like  nature  in  the  follow- 
ing paffage  : 

u  But  oh  !  'fwaj  little  that  her  life 

O'er  earth  and  waters  bears  thy  fame  Prior. 

It  ought  to  be  bore  in  the  fecond  line, 

Again  ; 

"  Him  portioned  maids,  apprentice!  orphans  blefty 
The  young  who  labour^  and  the  old  who  reft." 

Pcpe,  Moral  Ep.  Hi.  267, 

u  Fierce  as  he  mov'd,  his  filver  fliafts  re  founds 

Iliad,  B.  T. 

The  fir  ft  Verb  ought  to  be  in  the  fame  time  with  the  fol- 
lowing : 

u  Great  Queen  of  Arms,  whofe  favour  Tydeus  woir, 
As  thou  dtfcndft  the  lire,  defend  the  fon." 

Iliad,  x.  337* 

It  ought  to  he  defended  ft* 

"  Had  their  records  been  delivered  down  in  the  vulgar 
tongue, — they  could  not  now  be  underftood,  unlefs  by  An- 
tiquaries, who  made  it  their  Rudy  to  expound  them." — 
Swift,  Letter  on  the  Englifh  Tongue.  Here  the  latter 
part  of  the  lentence  depends  entirely  on  the  Suppofuion  ex- 
pretfed  in  the  former, 44  of  their  records  being  delivered  down 
w  the  vulgar  tongue  therefore  made  in  the  Indicative 
Mode,  which  implies  no  Suppofition,  and  in  the  Paft  Inde- 
finite Time,  is  improper :  it  would  be  much  better  in  the 
Paft  Definite  and  Perfect,  bad  made  ;  but  indeed  ought  to 
be  in  the  Subjunctive  Mode,  Prefent  or  Paft  Time,  ftjould 
make  or  Jlxould  have  made.. 


T6  ENGLISH   GRAMMA*.  95 

which  have  the  Plural  Number  :  as,  tbofe,  tbefe  ;  which 
rouft  agree  in  Number  [1]  with  their  Subflantives. 


POOC«0C  9005  0000 


"  And  Jefus  anfwered,  and  faid  unto  him,  What  wilt 
thou,  that  I  fhould  do  unto  thee  ?  The  blind  man  laid  unto 
him,  Lord,  that  I  might  receive  my  fight."  Mark,  x.  51. 
"  That  I  may  know  him,  and  the  potaer  of  his  refurreclion, 
and  the  fellowfhip  of  his  fufFerings,  being  made  conformable 
unto  his  deaih  :  jfby  any  mean?  I  might  attain  unto  the 
refurreclion  of  the  dead/'  Phil.  iii.  10,  ti«  It  ought  to 
be  may  in  both  places,  See  alfo  John,  ix.  39.  Ephef.  iii.  19. 
Col.  i.  9,  10. 

w  On  the  morrow,  becaufe  he  fould  have  known  the  cer- 
tainty, wherefore  he  was  accufed  of  the  Jews,  he  loo  fed 
mm*  Acls  xxi.  30.  It  ought  to  be,  becauie  he  would 
know ;  or  rather,  being  willing  to  know, 

"  I  thought  to  have  written  laft  week,"  is  a  very  com- 
mon phrafe  :  the  Infinitive  being  in  the  Pah1  Time,  as  well 
as  the  Verb  which  it  follows.  But  it  is  certainly  vicious  : 
for  how  longfoeverit  now  isfince  I  thought,  to  write  was 
then  prefent  to  me  ;  and  muft  {fill  be  conndered  as  prefent, 
when  I  bring  back  that  time,  and  the  thoughts  of  it.  It 

ought  to  be  therefore,  M  I  thought  to  write  laft  week.'*  

u-  I  cannot  excufe  the  rerahTnefs  of  thofe,  whofe  bufinefs  it 
Jhould  have  been,  as  it  certainly  was  their  intereft,  to  have 
ihterpofed  their  good  offices.'1  Swift.  '4  There  were  two 
circumftaiKes,  which  would  have  made  it  necelTary  for  them 
to  have  loft  no  time."  Ibid.  "  Hiftory  Painters  would 
have  found  it  difficult  to  have  invented  fuch  fpecies  of 
beings."  Addifon,  Dial-  I.  on  Medals.  It  ought  to  be, 
^' to  i?iterpofe)  to  lofe,  to  invent-'* 

-  [1]  "  By  this  means  thou  fhalt  have  no  portion  on  this 
fide  the  river:"  Ezra.  iv.  j6.  44  It  renders  us  carelefs  of 
approving ourfelves  to  God  by  religious  duties,  awd  by  that 
means  ftcuring  the  continuance  of  his  goodnefs*"  Atterbu- 
ry,  Sermons.    Ought  it  not  to  be,  by  tbefe  means,  by  tbofe 


96  A  SHORT  INTRODUCTION 

Nouns  of  Meafure,  Number,  and  Weight,  are  fome- 
tirn<*s  joined  in  the  Singular  form  with  Numeral  Adjectives 
denoting  Plurality  :  as, vfc  fifty  foot  ;  fix  fcort. 

"Ten  thoufand  fathom  deep." 

Milton,  P.  L.  ii.  934* 

44  An  hundred  bead  of  Ariftotle'*  friends." 

Pope,  Dunciad,  iv.  192. 

4(  About  an  hundred  pound  weight." 

John  x!x«39. 


means  f  or  by  this  mean,  by  thai  mean,  in  the  fmgular 
number  ?  as  it  is  ufed  by  Hooker,  Sidney,  Shakefpear,  &c. 

44  We  have  ftric/t  flatutes,  and  mofl  biting  laws, 
Which  for  this  nineteen  years  we  have  let  deep." 

Shakefpear,  Meaf.  for  Meaf. 

14  T  have  not  wept  this  forty  years."  Dryden.  44  If  I  had 
left  off  troubling  myfelf  about  tbofe  kind  of  tilings."  Swift, 
Letter  to  Steele.  44  I  fancy  they  are  tbofe  kind  of  Gods, 
which  Horace  mentions  in  his  allegorical  veffel."  Addifon, 
Dial.  II%  on  Medals.  44  I  am  not  recommending  tbofe  kind 
of  fufTerings  to  your  liking."  Bp.  Sherlock,  Vol.  ii.  Difc.  2» 
The  foregoing  phrafes  are  all  improper.  So  the  Pronoun 
muft  agree  with  its  Noun  :  in  which  refpec"t  let  the  follow- 
ing example  be  confidered.  44  It  is  an  unanfwerable  argu- 
ment of  a  very  refined  age,  the  wonderful  Civilities  that 
have  paffecl  between  the  nation  of  authors  and  that  of  rea- 
ders." Swift,  Tale  of  a  Tub,  Sect.  x.  As  to  thole  wonder- 
ful Civilities,  one  might  fay,  that  u  they  are  an  unanfwera- 
ble argument,  &c."  but  as  the  Sentence  ftands  at  prefent, 
it  is  not  eafy  to  reconcile  it  to  any  grammatical  propriety. 
44  A  perfen  [that  is,  one]  whom  all  the  world  allows  to  be 
fo  much  ycer  betters."  Swift,  Battle  of  Books.  <4  His 
face  was  eafily  taken  either  in  painting  or  fculpture  5  and 
icarce  any  on*,  though  never  fo  indifferently  /killed  in  their 


TO  "ENGLISH  GRAMMAR.  97 

The  Adjective  generally  goes  before  the  Noun  :  as,  "  a 
-wife  man  ;  a  good  horfe  unlefs  fomething  depends  on 
tlie  Adjective  ;  as,  "  ftaed  convenient  for  me  or  the  Ad- 
jective be  emphatical  ;  as,"  Alexander  the  great;"  and  it 
•itands  immediately  before  the  Noun,  unlefs  the  Verb  to  be% 
oivany  Auxiliary  joined  to  it,  come  between  the  Adjective 
and  the  Noun  :  as,  "  happy  is  the  man  ;  happy  (hall  he  be/* 
And  the  Article  goes  before  the  Adjective  :  except  the  Ad- 
jectives alL  fucby  and  many,  and  others  fubjoined  to  the  AcL 
verbs /i,  as,  and  bow:  as,  "  all  the  men  \"  w  fucb  a  man 
f  many  a  man  M  fo  good  a  man .;"  "  as  good  a  man  as 
ever  lived  "  bow  beautiful  a  profpect  is  here!"  And 
fometimes  when  there  are  two  or  more  Adjectives  joined  to 
the  Noun,  the  Adjectives  follow  the  Noun  j  as,  u  a  man 
learned  and  religious." 

There  are  certain  Adjectives,  which  feem  to  be  derived 
without  any  variation  from  Verbs,  and  have  the  fame  fig- 
nification  with  the  Pafiive  Participles  of  their  Verbs  :  they 
are  indeed  no  other  than  Latin  Paffive  Participles  adapted 
to  the  Englilh  termination.:  as,  anntbilate>  contaminate^ 
elate. 

#  To  deftruction  facred  and  devote"  Milton. 
The  alien  compoftjs  exbaujl."  Philips,  Cyder* 


ait,  failed  to  hit  it.5*  Welwood's  Memoirs,  p.  *68.  6th  Edit, 
j  And  the  Phrafe  which  occurs  in  the  following  examples, 
though  pretty  common  and  authorifed  by  Guftom,  yet  feems 
to  be  fomewhat  defective  in  the  fame  way  : 

<*  'Tis  tbefe  that  early  taint  the  female  foul."  Pope. 

"  'Tis  tbey  that  give  the  great  Atrides'  fpoils  ; 

'Tis  they  that  ftili  renew  Ulyfles'  toils."  Prior. 

"  Who  was't  came  by  ? 
'Tis  two  or  tbree>  my  Lord,  that  bring  you  word, 
JMaedufF  is  fled  to  England.'*  Shakelpear,  Macb» 


£0  A   SHORT  INTRODUCTION 

.  Thefe  (fome  few  excepted,  which  have  gained  adrnffion 
into  common  difcourfe,)  are  much  more  frequently,  and  more 
allowably  ufed  in  poetry  than  in  profe.  [2] 

The  Diftributive  Pronominal  Adjectives  each,  every,  ei* 
tber,  agree  with  the  Nouns,  Pronouns,  and  Verbs  of  the 
Singular  Number  only  :  [3]  as,  "  The  king  of  Jfrael  and 


•eooooosooot 


[2]  Adjectives  of  this  fort  are  fometimes  very  improper* 
lyufed  with  the  Auxiliary  bave,  or  had,  inflead of  the  Ac* 
tive  Perfedl  Participle:  as,  "  Which  alio  King  David  did 
dedicate  unto  the  Lord,  with  the  fllyer  and  gold  that  he  bad 
dedicate  of  all  nations  which  he  fubdued."  2.  Sam.  viii,  1  it 
"  And  Jehoafh  took  all  the  allowed  things,  that — his  fa- 
thers, kings  of  Judah,  bad  dedicate"  2.  Kings  xii.  18. 
So  likewife  Dan.  iii.  19.  It  ought  to  be  had  dedicated. 
«  When  both  interefts  of  Tyranny  and  Epifcopacy  were 
fttsorgorate  into  each  other,"     Milton,  Eiconoclaft.  xvii. 

[3]  Let  eacb  efleem  other  better,  than  tbemfejves"  Phil, 
ii.  3.  It  ought  to  be  bimjelf.  "  It  is  requifite  that  the 
language  of  an  heroic  poem  (hould  be  both  perfpicuous  and 
fublime.  In  proportion  as  either  of  thefe  two  qualities  are 
[  is)  wanting,  the  language  is  imperfedt."  Sped.  No.  285. 
u  'Tis  obfervabie,  that  every  one  of  the  Letters  bear  date 
after  his  banifbment ;  and  contain  a  conapleat  Narrative  of 
all  his  ftory  afterwards,"  Bentlty,  Diilertation  on  The- 
Hiiftocles's  Epiftl.es,  Seel.  ii.  It  ought  to  be  bears,  and 
tbey  contain* 

There  is  a  like  impropriety  in  the  following  Sentence  : 
44  I  do  not  mean  by  what  I  have  faid,  that  I  think  any  one 
to  blame  foi-  taking  due  care  of  tbeir  health."  Sped.  No. 

Eitber  Is  often  ufed  improperly  in  Head  of  eacb ;  as,  <cThe 
Icing  of  ifrael  and  Jehofaphat  king  of  Judah  fat  eitber  [each] 
of  them  on  his  throne.''  2  Chron.  xviri.  9.  "  Nadab  and 
Abihu,  the  fons  of  Aaron,  took  eitber  [each]  of  them  tip 


TO  ENGLISH  GRAMMAR-  99 

Jehofophat  kiag  of  Judah,  Tat  each  [king]  on  his  throne, 
having  [both]  put  on   their  robes."    i  Kings,  xxii.  10. 
*  Every  tree  is  known  by  his  own  fruit,*'    Luke'  vi.  44* 
u  Lepidus  flatters  both, 
Of  both  is  flatter'd  ;  but  he  neither  loves, 
Nor  either  cares  for  him."  .  . 

Shakefpear,.  Ant*  and  Cleop. 

Unlefs  the  Plural  Noun  convey  a  colle&ive  Idea  ;  as, 
"  That  every  twelve  years  there  fhould  be  fet  forth  two 
{hips."  Bacon. 

Every  Verb,  except  in  the  Infinitive  or  the  Participle 
hath  its  Nomkive  Cafe,  either  exprefled  or  implied  [4]  i 

"  Awake,  arife,or  be  for  ever  fall 'n  ; 
that  is,  Awake  je,  &c. 

©00*0000 oooooooo 

cenfer."  Lev.  x.  r.  Each  fignifies  both  of  them,  taken! 
diftincl:ly>  or  feparately  :  either  properly  fignifies  only  the 
ene,  or  the  other,  of  them,  taken  disjunctively.  For  which1 
reafon  the  like  expreflion  in  the  following'  pafTages  feems 
alfo  improper  ;  u  They  crucified  two  other  with  him,  on  ei- 
ther fide  one,  and  Jefbs  in  the  midft."  John  xix.  18.  tk  Of 
either  fide  of  the  river  was  there  the  tree  of  life.''  Rev* 
xxii.  2.  See  alfo  1  Kings,  x.  19.  "  Propofals  for  a  truce 
between  the  ladies  of  either  party."  Addifon,.  Freeholder,-. 
Contents  of  No.  38. 

[4]  "  Forafmuch  as  it  hath  pleafed  Almighty  God  of  his^ 
goodnefs  to  give  you  fafe  deliverance,  and  bath  prejerved 
you  in  the  great  danger  of  Childbirth  — Liturgy.  The 
Verb  hath  preferved  hath  here  no  Nominative  Cafe  ;  for  it 
cannot  be  properly  fupplied  by  the  preceding  word  God, 
which  is  in  the  Obje&ive  Cafe.  It  ought  to  be,  "  and  He 
bath  preferred  you  \*T  01  rather, u  and  to  preferve  you." 
Some  of  our  beft  Writers  have  frequently  fallen  into  this, 
which  I  take  to  be  ho  futall  inaccuracy  :  1  fhall  therefore  add 
fome  more  examples  of  it,  by  way  of  admonition  ;  infertiiag. 
iu  each,  within  Parenthefis,  the  Nominative  Cafe  that  is  defi- 
cient, and  that  mult  necefCarily  be  fupplied  to  fupport  tko-' 


ICO  A  SHORT  INTRODUCTION' 

Every  Nominative  Cafe,  except  the  Cafe  Abfolutc,  when 
an  addrefs  is  made  to  a  Perfon,  belongs  to  fopie  Verb,,eL» 


coceoooetoMoco* 


proper  Coiiftruftion  of  the  Sentence.  "  ffthe  calm  in  which' 
he  was  born,  and  (  which)  lafted  (o  long,  had  continued.'' 
(Clarendon,  Life,  p.  43.    "  The  RemonflrlbcQ  he  had  lately 
received  from  the  Hcufe  of  Commons,  and  (which)  was  dif~ 
periVd  througliout  the  Kingdom."    Clarendon,  Hill.  VoL  h 
pi  366.  8vo»    "  Thele  we  have  extracted  from  an  Hiflorian 
of  undoubted  credit,  a  reverend  bifhop,  the  learned  Paulus 
Jovius ;  and  (they)  are  the  fame  that  were  praclifed  under 
the  pontificate  of  Leo  X,"  Pope,  Works,  Vol.  VI.  p.  301.. 
•*  A  cloud  gathering  in  the  North  ;  which  we  have  helped  to 
raife,  and  ( which)  may  quickly  break  in  a  ftoTm  upon  our 
heads."  Swift,  Conduct  of  the  Allies.  "  A  man  whofe  in. 
elinations  led  him  to  be  corrupt,  and  (who)  had  great  abili- 
ties to  manage  and  multiply  and  defend  his  corruptions. 
Gulliver,  Part  I.  Chap.  vi.    <c  My  Mafler  likewife  menti. 
©ned  another  quality  which  his  fervants  had  difcovered  in 
snany  Yahoos,  and  (which)  to  him  was  wholly  unaccounta- 
ble.   Gulliver,  Part  IV.  Chap.  vij.    «  This  I  filled  with 
the  feathers  of  feveral  birds  I  had  taken  with  fpringa  made 
of  Yahoos  hairs,  and  (which)  were  excellent  food."  Ibid. 
Chap.  x.    "  Ofirisj  whom  the  Grecians  call  Dionyfius,  and 
(who )  is  the  fame  with  Bacchus."    Swift,  Mechan.  Opeiv 
of  the  Spirit,  Seel.  ii. 

"  Which  Homer  might  without  a  blufh  rehearfe^ 
And  haves  a  doubtful  palm  in  Virgil's  verfe." 

Dryden,  Fables,  Dedication. 

H  Whofe  own  example  ftrengthens  all  his  laws, 
And  is  himfelf  the  great  fublime  he  draws." 

Pope,  Eflay  on  Crit. 

«  Will  martial  flames  forever  fire  thy  mind, 
And  never,  never  be  to  heav'n  refignd  ?*' 

Odyffey,  xii.  145* 

*  And  will  (it,  thy  mind),  never-—— 


TO  ENGLISH  GRAMMAR. 


IOI 


ther  expreffed  or  implied  [5]  ;  as  in  the  anfwer  to  a  Quef- 
tion  ;  "  Who  wrote  this  book?  Cicero:"  that  is,  "  Cicero 
wrote  it."    Or  when  the  Verb  is  underftood  ;  as,; 

4i  To  whom  thus  Adam  ; ■ 
that  is,  /pake* 

Every"  PofTellive  Cafe  fuppofes  fome  Noun  tb  which  it' 
belongs  :  as  when  we  fay,  H  St.  Paul's,  or  St.  James's"  we 
mean  St. .Paul's  Churchy  or  St;  James's  Palace. 

Every  Adjective  has  relation  to  fome  Subftantive,  either 
expreffed  or  implied  :  as,  "  The  Twelve,"  that  hdpojiles; 
"  the  wife,  the  elect,"  that  is,  ferfons* 

In  fome  inftances  the  Adjective  becomes  a  Subftantive,  - 
and  has  an  Adjective  joined  to  it;  as,  "  the  chief  Good  \" 
"  Evil,  be  Thou  my  Good  [6]  i" 


[5lu  Which  rule \  if  it  had  been  obferved,  a  neighbouring 
Prince  would  have  wanted  a  great  deal  of  that  incenfe, 
which  hath  been  offered  up  to  him  by  his  adorers."  Atter-1 
bury,  Vol.  I.  Serm-  I.  The  Pronoun  it  is  here  the  Nomina- 
tive Cafe  to  the  Verb  obferved ; :  and  which  rule  is  left  by 
itfelf  a  Nominative  Cafe  without  any  Verb  followingit.  This 
manner  of  expreffion,  however  improper,  is  very  common.  It 
ought  to  be,  "  It  this  rule  had  been  obferved,  &c."  "  We 
have  no  better  materials  to  compound  the  Prieflhood  of,  than 
the  mafs  of  mankind  :  which y  corrupted  as  it  is,  thofe  who 
receive  Grders  muft  have  fome  vices  to  leave  behind  them 
when  they  enter  into  the  Church."  Swift,  Sentiments  of  % 
Church  of  England  man.  • 

(6)  Adjectives  are  fometimes  employed  as  Adverbs ;  im- 
properly, and  not  agreeable  to  the  Genius  of  the  Englifh 
Language,.  As,  "  indifferent  honeiTy  excellent  well  2" 
Shakefpear,  Hamlet.  •  "  extreme  elaborate  :  Dryden,  Efiay 
on  Dram.  Poet,  "  marvellous  graceful :"  Clarendon,  Life, 
p.  18.  «  marvellous  worthy  to  be  praifed  :"  Pfal.  cxiv.  3, 
for  fo  the  Tranflators  gave  it :  "  extreme  unwilling  ;"  "  ex* 
treme  fubject :"  Swift,  Tale  of  a  Tub,  and  Battle  of  Books  9 
*  extraordinary  rare  ;"  Addifon,  on  Medals.   «  He  bg) 


102  A  SHORT  INTRODUCTION 


In  others,  the  Subftantive  becomes  an  Adjective,  er  fup- 
flies  its  place  ;  being  prefixed  to  another  Subftantive,  and 

ecee&oocx>oceooo 


liaved  himfelf  conformable  to  that  blefled  example*"  Sprat's 
Sermons,  p.  80. 

*  I  fhall  endeavour  to  live  hereafter  fui table  to  a  man 
in  my  . Nation'    Addifon,  Sped.  No.  £30.    4  The  Queen 
having  changed  her  miniftry  fit  it  able  to  her  own  wifdom.' 
Swift,  Examin.  No.  28.    '  The  aflertibns  of  this  Author 
are  eajily  detected.'    Swift,  Public  Spirit  of  the  Whigs. 
*  The  Characteriftic  of  his  Seel  allowed  him  to  affirm  no 
Jlronger  than   that.'     Bentley,  Phil.  Lipf  Remark  liii.. 
1  If  our  author  had  fpoken  nobler  and  loftier  than  ano- 
ther.'   Ibid.    *  Xenophen  fays  exprefs*      Ibid.  Remark 
Xiv.    c  I  can  never  think  fo  very  mean  of  him.V    Id.  Dif- 
fertation  on  Phalaris,  p.  24.    4  Homer  defcribes  this  river 
agreeable  to  the  vulgar  reading.'    Pope,  Note  on  Iliad  ii.. 
V.  1032.    So  exceeding,  for  exceedingly,  however  im- 
proper, occurs  frequently  in  the  Vulgar  Tranflation  of  the. 
Uible,  and  has  obtained  in  common  difcourfe,    i  Many  men 
reafon  exceeding  clear  and  rightly,  who  know  not  how  to 
make  afyllogifm.'    Locke.    1  We  mould  live  foberly,  righ- 
teoufly,  and  godly  in.  this  prefent  world.'    Tit.  ii..  1  2*.  See 
alfo  2  Tim.  iii.  12-    4  To  convince  all,  that  are  ungodly 
among  them5.  of  all  their  ungodly  deeds,  which  they  have 
Ungodly  committed.    Jude  15*    *  I  think ,it  very  mafierly:! 
written.'    Swift  to  Pope,  Letter  lxxiv.. 

'  O  Liberty  !.  Thou  Goddefs  heavenly  bright." 

Addifon*, 

The  Termination  ly,.  being  a  contraction  ofWe,  exprefies 
fmiliiude,  or  manner  ;  and  being  added  to  Nouns  forms 
^Adjectives  ;  and  added  to  Adje&ives  forms  Adverbs.  But 
Adverbs  expreffmg  fmilitude,  or  manner,  cannot  be  fo- 
formed  from  Nouns  :  the  few  Adverbs  that  are  fo  formed 
have  a  very  different  import;  as, .  daily  ^  yearly  ;  that  is, 
flSy  by  day,- year  by  year.  Early,  both  -  Adjective  and 
^dverb,  is  formed  frojn  the  Saxon  Prepofition  <rr,  before. 


TO  ENGLISH   GRAMMAR.  IOJ 

linked  to  it  by  a. mark  of  conjunction  :  - as,  *  fea-water;  fb^ 
reft-tree.' 

Advef.bs  have  no  Government.  [7] 

The  Adverb,  as  its  name  imports,  is  generally  placed 
clofe  or.  near  to  the  word,  which  it  modifies  or  affects;  and 


eo9« 3OOOJOO0- 


The  Adverbs  therefore  above  noted,  are  not  agreeable  to  the 
Analogy  of  formation  eftablifhed  in  our  language,  which  re-^ 
quires  godlily,  ungodlily,  heavenlily  :  but  thefe  are  dis- 
agreeable to  the  ear,  and  therefore. could  never  gain  admit- 
tance into  common  ufe.. 

The  word  lively  ufed  as  an-  Adverb,,  inftead  of  Vi-vdily,. 
is  liable  to  the  fame  objection  ;  and. rot  being  fo  familiar  to 
the  ear,  immediately  offends  it..  i  That  part  of  poetry  mwflfe 
needs  be  beft,  which  defcribes-  mofl  lively  our  actions  and 
paffions,  our  virtues  and  our  vices."'  Dry  den,  Pref.  to  State 
of  Innocence-  4  The  whole  defign  muft  refer  to  the  Golden 
Age,  Avhich.  it  lively  reprefents."  Addifon  on  Medals, 
Dial.  ii. 

On  the  other  hand",  an  Adverb  is  improperly  ufed  as  an 
Adjective  in  the  following  paffages  :  ;  We  may  calt  in  fuch 
feeds  and  principles,  as  we  judge  mod  likely  to  take  foinzfi 
and  deepeft  root.'  TilLotlbiv  Vot  I..Serm.  52.  '  After 
thefe  wars,  of  which  they  hope  for  a  foon  and  profperous. 
lime-"  Sidney.  4  Ufe  a  little  wine  for  thy  ftomach's  fake, 
and  thine  often  infirmities."  h  Tim.  v.  23.  Unlets  Jlkn, 
and  often  were  formerly  Adjectives,  though  now  wholly  ob- 
folete  in  that  form-.  See  Jphnfeh'kl)ifclk)taaty  >; Oftenflmef 
and  Soonly* 

[7]  "  How  much  focver  the  Reformation  of  this  cor- 
rupt and  degenerate.  Age  is  almoft  utterly  to  be  defpaired 
fcfj,  we  may  yet  have  a  more  comfortable  profpect  of  future 
times"  Tillotfon,  Vol.  I.  Pref.  to  Serm-  49.  The  firft 
part  of  the  fentence  abounds  with  Adverbs,  and  tUjfe-fuch 
&§  are  hardly  confiftent.  with  one  another.. 


JO4  A   SHORT  INTRODUCTION 

its  propriety  and  force  depend  on  its  pofition.  (8)  Its  place 
for  the  moft  part-is  before  Adjectives;  after  Verbs  Active  or 
Neuter;  and  it  frequently  ftands  between  the  Auxiliary  and 
the  Verb  :  as,  <  He  made  a  very  eloquent  harangue  ;  he 
jpake  unaffectedly  and  forcibly  ;  and  was  attentively 
beard  by  the  whole  audience." 

Two  Negatives  in  Ebglifti  deflroy  one  another,  ©r  are 
equivalent  to.  an  Affirmative  :  (9)  as,. 


osee:  000005  a- , 


[8]  Thus  it  is  commonly  faid,  <  I  only  fpake  three  words/* 
when  the  intention  of  the  fpeaker  manifeiUy  requires,  <  I. 
fpake  only  three  words." 

'  Her  body  fhaded  with  a  flight- cymarr, 
Ker  bofom  to  the  ^iew  was  only  bare-' 

Dryden,  Cymon  and  Iphig, . 

The  fenfe  neceffarily  requires  this  order, , 

4iHer  bofom  only  to  the  view  was  bare.' 

[9]  The  follow  mg.  are  examples  to  the  contrary  : 

6  Give  not  me  counfel, 
Nor  let  no  comforter  delight  mine  ear/ ' 

Shakefpear,  Much  Ado.. 

*  She  cannot  love* 
Nor  take  no  fhape  n or  project  of  affection/  Ibid. 

Shakefpear  ufes  this  conduction  frequently.  It  is  a  re- 
lique  of  the  ancient  ftyle  abounding  with  Negatives,  .which 
is  now  grown  wholly  obfolete  : 

1  And  of  his  port  as  meke  as  is  a  mayde,  , 

He  never  yet  no  vilanie  ne  fayde 

In  alle  his  1  if*  unto  no  manere  wight ; 

He  was  a  veray  parfit  gentil  knight/       Chaucer.- . 

4  I  cannot  by  no  means  allow  him,  that  this  argynjijU ! 
muft  prove.  -        Eentley.  DifTert.  on  Fhalaris,  p.  5159 


TO  ENGLISH   GR A'MIVfARV 


c  Nor  did  they  not  perceive  the  evil  plight 

In  which  they  werer  or  the  fierce  pains  not  feel." 

Milton,  P.  L.  i.  335* 

Prepositions  have  a  Government  of  Cafes  ;  and  in  Eng- 
lifh  they  always  require  the  Objective  Cafe  after  them  5  as^ 
nvitb  him  ;  from  her  ;  to  me.  (1), 

The  Prepofuion  is  often  feparated  from  the  Relative  which 
it  governs,  and  j-oined  to  the  Verb  at  the  end  of  the  fen- 
tence,  or  of  fome  member  of  it  ;  as,  1  Horace  is  an  author, 
whom.  I  am  much  delighted  with*  i  The  world  is  too  well' 
bred  to  mock:  authors  with  a  truth,  ivbicb  generally  their 
bookfeilers  are  the  firft  that  inform; them  of.*  (2)  This  is  an 
Idiom  which  our  language  is  ftrongly  inclined  to;  it  pre- 
vails in  common  converfation,  and  fuits  very  well  with  the- 
iiamiiiar  ftyle  in- writing  ;  but  the  placing  of  the  Prefofition 

That  we  need  not,  nor  do  not,  confine  the  purpofes  of 
God.'    Id.  Serm.  8. 

(1)  '  Who  ferveil  thou  under  ? 

Shakefpear,  Henry  V. 
1  Who  do.  you  fpeak  to  P       As  You  Like  It,. 

*  I'll  tell  you,  vbo  Time  ambles  witba!,  nob+Ttme  trots 
wtbal,  <wbo  Time  gallops  withal,  and  nubo  he  ftands  ft  ill 
•LuitbaL' 

■  1  pr'y thee,  wbo  doth  he  trot  ivitbal  i  Ibid. 

*  We  are  ftill  much  at  a  lofs,  tube  civil  power  belongs 
to.'    Locke.  ^  * 

In  all  thefe  places  it  ought  to  be  whom* 

*  Now  Margaret's  curfe  is  falTn  upon  our  heads, 
When  flie  exclaim'd  on  Hafiings,  you,  and  L* 

Shakefpear,  Rich.  Ill* 

It  ought  wo  be  me. 

[2I  Pope,  Preface  to  his  Poems. 


io6 


A  SHORT  INTRODUCTION 


before  the  Relative  is  more  graceful,  as  well  as  more  perfpi- 
cuons;  and  agrees  much  better  with  the  folemn  and  elevated 
ftyle.  (*) 

«  Verbs  are  often  comnour.ded  of  a  Verb  and  a  Prepofiti- 
on ;  as,  to  uphold,  to  outweigh)  to  overlook:  and  this 
compofition  fometirnes  gives  a  new  fenfe  to  the  Verb  ;  as, 
to  underftand,  to  withdraw,  to  forgive*  [3]  Eut  in  Lng- 
lifli  the  Prepofition  is  more  frequently  placed  after  the  Verb, 
and  feparate  from  it,  like  an  Adverb  ;  in  which  fituation  it 
is  no  Ids  apt  to  affedt  the  fenfe  of  it,  and  to  give  it  a  new 
meaning  ;  and  may  Hill  be  confidered  as  belonging  to  the 
Verb,  and  as  a  part  of  it.  As,  to  caji,  is  to  throw;  but 
to  caft  up,  or  to  compute  an  account}  is  quite  a  different 
thing  :  thus,  to  fall  on,  to  bear  out,  to  give  over,  &c. 
So  that  the  meaning  of  the  Verb,  and  the  propriety  of  the 
phrafe,  depend  on  the  Prepofition  fubjouied.  [4} 


©oocecocoeoseooo 


[*]  Some  writers  feparate  the  Prepofition  from  its  Noun, 
in  order  to  connect  different  Prepofitions  with  the  lame 
Noun  ;  as,  *  To  fuppofe  the  Zodiac  and  Planets  to  be  effi- 
cient of  and  antecedent  to,  themfelves.'  Bentiey,  Serin. 
6.  This,  whether  in  the  familiar  or  folemn  ftyle,  is  always 
inelegant  ;  and  mould  never  be  admitted,  but  in  Forms  of 
Law,  and  the  like  ;  where  fulnefs  and  exacV.els  of  expreff- 
ion  iBiift  take  place  of  every  other  confideration. 

[3]  With  in  compofition  retains  the  bonification,  which 
it  has  among  others  in  the  Saxon,  of  from  and  againft  : 
as  to  withhold,  to  withftand.  So  alfo  for  has  a  negative 
fignification  from  the  Saxon  :  as,  to  forbid,  forbeodan  j  to 
fjrget,  forgitan, 

[4]  Examples  of  impropriety  in  the  ufe  of  the  Pre  por- 
tions in  phrafes  of  this  kind  : 

«  Your  chara&er,  which  I,  or  any  other  writer,  may  now 
value  ourfehes  by,  (upon)  drawing.'  Swift,  Letter  on  the 
Englifli  Tongue.  '  You  have  bellowed  your  favours  to 
(upon)  the  moil  deferving  perfons.'  Ibid.  1  Upon  filch 
occafions  as  fell  into  (under)  their  cognizance/    Swift,  Cc*k 


TO   ENGLISH   GRAMMAR.  IO7 

As  the  Prepofitton  Tub  joined  to  the  Verb  hath  the  Con- 
ftruttion  and  nature  of  an  Adverb,  fo  the  Adverbs  bere> 


tefts  and  DilTentions,  &c.  Chap,  vu  1  That  variety  of  fac- 
tions into  (in)  which  we  are  (fill  engaged.'  Ib.  Chap,  v* 
*4  To  reftore  myfelf  into  (to)  the  good  graces  of  my  fair 
Crkics.,  Drvden,  Pref.  to  Aureng.  1  Accufed  the  minif- 
ters  for  (of )  betraying  the  Dutch.'  Swift,  Four  Laft  Years 
of  the  Queen,  Book  ii.  4  Ovid,  whom  you  accufe  for  (of ) 
luxuriancy  of  verle.'  Dryden,  on  Dram.  Poefy.  4  The 
people  of  England  may  congratulate  to  themfelves,  that,'— 
Dryden-  4  Something  like  this  has  been  reproached  to  Ta- 
citus. '  Bolinghroke,  on  Hiftory,  Vol.  J.  p.  136.  4  He 
was  made  much  on  (of)  at  Argos-'— '  He  is  fo  refolved  of 
(on)  going  to  the  Periian  Court.'  Bentley,  Diuert.  on  The- 
miltocles's  Epiftles,  Set\.  iii.  'Neither  the  one  nor  the 
other  Jh all  make  me  iwerve  out  of  (from)  the  path  which  I 
have  traced  to  my  feltV  Bolingbroke,  Letter  to  Wyndham, 
P.  252. 

'  And  virgins  fmil'd  at  what  they  bluhYd  before.' 

*  At  what  they  blufh'd  (at.')    Pope,  Enay  on  Cric. 

4  They  are  now  reconciled  by  a  zeal  for  their  caufe  to 
what  they  could  not  be  prompted  to  (by)  a  concern  for  their 
beauty/    Addifon,  Specl.  No.  81.    4  If  policy  can  prevail 
upon  (over)  force.'    Addifon,  Trav.  p.  62.    '  Idolikewife 
.difTent  with  (from)  the  Examiner.'    Addifon,  Whig.  Ex- 
,amin.  No-  1.    4  Ye  blind  guides,  which  firain  at  a  gnat, 
and  fwallow  a  .camel.'    Matt,    xx'ni.  24.    Which  (train 
out,  or  take  a  gnat  out  of  the  liquor  by  {training  it  :  the 
impropriety  of  the  Prepofition  has  wholly  deftroyed  the 
meaning  of  the  Phrafe.    4  No  difcouragement  for  the  au- 
thors to  proceed."    Tale  of  a  Tub,  Preface.    4  A  fcricl  ob- 
fervance  after  times  and  fafhions.    Ibid.  Sect.  ii.  Which 
had  a  much  greater  fhare  of  inciting  him,  than  any  regards 
after  his  father's  commands/    Ibid.  Sec\.  vi.  4  Not  from 
any  peri'onai  hatred  to  thera,  hut  in  juftification  to  (of)  the 


1C#  A  SHORT  INTRODUCTION 

there,  iibcre,  frith  a  Prepofition  fubjoined,as  hereof,  there- 
mitb)  nberetipon,  (5)  have  the  cor.Rrudion  and  nature  of 
Pronouns. 

.    The  Prepcfitions  to  and  fcr  are  often  iinderftoed,  chtefijr 


tooctoooooes 


be R  of  Queens,'  Swift,  Examiner,  No.  i*.  In  t!ie  I  aft 
example,  the  Verb  being  TranGtive  and  requiring  the  Ob- 
jective Cafe,  the  Noun  formed  from  it  feems  to  require  the 
Poffeffive  Cafe,  or  its  Prepofition  after  it.  Or  perhaps  he 
meant  to  fay, '  In  juftlce  to  the  bed  oft^ueens.3  Obferve  al- 
io, that  the  Noun  generally  requires  after  it  the  fame  Prepo- 
lirjorij  as  the  Verb  from  which  it  is  formed :  4  It  was  perfectly 
in  compliance  to  (with)  feme  perfons,  for  whofe  opinion  I 
have  great  deference.'  Swift,  Pref.  to  Temple's  Memoirs. 
4  The  wifefl:  Princes  need  net  think  it  any  diminution  to 
(of)  their  greatnefs,  or  derogation  to  (from)  their  fufficiency, 
to  rely  upon  council.'  Bacon,  Effay  xx.  So  the  Noun 
Averfion  (that  is,  a  turning  away)  as  like  wife  the  Adjective 
a-verfe,  feems  to  require  the  Prepofition  from  after  it ;  and 
nr  r  fo  properly  to  admit  of  to  or  for,  which  are  often  ufed 
with  it. 

(5)  Thefe  are  much  d in:. fed  in  common  difcourfe,  and  are 
retained  only  in  the  Solemn  or  Formulary  fryle.  4  They 
(our  Authors)  have  of  late,  'tis  true,  reformed  in  fome  mea- 
fure  the  gouty  joints  and  darning-work  of  ivbereunto'f, 
*wberet>y's,  thereof 's,  therewith1  r,  and  the  reft  of  this  kind,; 
by  which  complicated  periods  are  fo  curioufly  ft  rung,  or 
hooked  on,  one  to  another,  after  the  long- fpun  manner  of 
the  bar  or  pulpit.    Lord  Shaftibuiy,  Mifcei.  V. 

4  Fra  f(he  thlr  wordis  had  fay'd.' 

Gawin  Douglas,  j£n.x» 

4  Tbir  v/ikket  fchrewis.'    Ibid.  Jfcn*  adj* 


That  is,  f  thefe  words 1  thefe  wicked  fhrews.'  Theyr 
ibcfe,y  or  thofe^  mafculine ;  tbaer,  ibefe7  or  tbofe,  feM* 


TO  ENGLISH   GRAMMAR.  IO9 

before  the  Pronoun ;  as,  4  give  me  the  book  ;  get  me  fome 
paper;'  that  is,  to  me,  for  me.  (6) 

The  Prepofition  in,  or  on,  is  ©ften  underftood  before 
Nouns  expreffing  Time  ;  as,  4  this  day  ;  next  month  ;  lafi 


nine,  Iflandick.  Hence,  perhaps,  thereof,  therewith,  &e« 
of,  with,  them  ;  and  fo,  by  analogy,  the  reft  of  this  clafs 
of  words, 

(6)  Or  in  thefe  and  the  like  phrafes,  may  riot  me,  thee,, 
bitn,  her,  us,  which  in  the  Saxon  are  the  Dative  cafes  of 
their  refpec*live  Pronouns,  be  conftdered  as  ftuM  continuing; 
fuch  in  the  Englim,  and  including  in  their  very  form  the 
force  of  the  Prepofitions  to  and  Jar?  There  are  certainly 
fome  other  phrafes,  which  are  to  be  refolved  in  this  man- 
ner: 1  Wo  is  met*  The  phrafe,  is  pure  Saxon:  4  wa  is 
me  :'  me  is  the  Dative  cafe  ;  in  Englifh,  with  the  Prepoft- 
tion,  tome.  So,  6  fnethinks Saxon,  4  methinSb  ;*  4  As 
iis  tboaghte  Sir  John  Mandeville.  *  Metbougbts*  this 
{hort  interval  of  iilence  has  had  more  mu(ic  in  it,  than  any 
of  the  fame  fpace  of  time  before  or  after  it.'  Addifon,  Tat- 
ler,  No.  133.  See  alfo  Spect.  No.  3  and  64.  It  ought  to 
be  metbougbt.  *  The  Lord  do  that  which  feemctb  him. 
good-'  2_Sam.  x.  12.  See  alfo  1  Sam.  ill-  18.  2  Saro» 
xviii-  4.  4  He  mall  dwell  with  thee, — in  one  of  thy  gates* 
where  it  liketb  him  beftV  Deut.  xxiii.  16.  See  alfoEfm. 
viii.  8  4  O  well  is  thee!'  Pfal.  exxviii,  2.  «  mi  bis 
the,1  id  eft,  bene  eft  tibi.  Simeon  Durielm,  apud  X.  Scrip- 
teres,  cob  135.  4  Wei  is  him,  that  thermai  be.'  Anglo- 
Saxon  Poem  in  Hickes's  Thefaur.  Vol-  I.  p-  231.  *  Well 
is  him,  that  dwelleth  with  a  wife  of  underftanding.'— 4  Well 
is  him,  that  hath  found  prudence.'  Fxclus.  xxv.  8,  9  — 
The  Tranfiitor  thought  to  correct  his  phrafe  afterwards  ; 
and  fo  hath  made  it  neither  Saxon  nor  Englifh  :  4  Well  13 
be,  that  is  defended  from  it-'  Ecclus.  xxviii.  19.  4  Wd 
worth  the  day  V  Ezek,  xxx.  2«  that  is,  4  Wo  be  tg  tht 
K 


HO  A  SHORT  INTRODUCTION 

year  that  is,  f  on  this  day,'  4  in  next  month  ;*  c  in  laft 
year.' 

In  Poetry,  the  common  Order  of  Words  is  frequently  in, 
verted,  in  all  ways  in  which  it  may  be  done  without  ambi- 
guity or  obfcurity. 

Two  or  more  Simple  Sentences,  joined  together  by  one 
or  more  Connective  Words,  become  ft  Compounded  Sen* 
tence. 

There  are  two  forts  of  Words  which  connect  Sentences  : 
I.  Relatives;  2. .Conjunctions, 

Examples  :.  i,  i  Blefled  is  the  man,  ivbo  feareth  the 

Lord."    2.  Life  is  fhort,  and  art  is  long."    1.  and  2.  , 

*  BleiTed  is  the  man,  ivbo  feareth  the  Lord,  and  keepeth  his 
commandments, ' 

The  Relatives  who,  wbieb,  tbatr  having  no  variation 
of  gender  or  number,  cannot  but  agree  with  their  Anteced- 
ents. Who  is  appropriated  to  Pei Tons  ;  and  fo  may  be  acr 
counted  Mafculine  and  Feminine  only  :  we  apply  ivbicb 
now  to  Things  only  ;  and  to  Irrational  Animals,  excluding 
them  from  Personality,  without  any  confederation  of  Sex  : 
nvbicb  therefore  may  be  accounted  Neuter.  But  formerly 
they  were  both  indifferently  u fed  of  Perfons:  f  Our  Father, 
'mibicb  art  in  heaven. "  That  is  ufed  indifferently  bpth  of 
Perfons  and  Things  ;  but  it  would  .better  become  the  folemn 
ftyle,  to  reftrain  it  more  to  to  the  latter  than  is  ufuajly  done,. 
What  \nclndes  both  the  Antecedent  and  the  Relative  \  as, 

c*saccoteooc«cp« 

day  !"  The  word  ivortb  is  not  the  AdjecTive,  but  the  Sax- 
on Verb  wcortbany  or  wortban,  fieri)  to  be,  to  become  I 
?which  is  often  ufed  by  GhaUcer,  and  is  flill  retained  as  an 
Auxiliary  Verb  in  the  German  Language, 


TO  ENGLISH  GRAMMAR. 


Ill 


«  This  was  what  he  wanted  ;'  that  is,  4  the  thing  which 
he  wanted  [7] 

The  Relative  is  the  Nominative  Cafe  to  tjie  Verb,  "when 
no  other  Nominative  comes  between  it  and  the  Verb :  but 
when  another  Nominative  comes  between  it  and  the  Verb, 
the  Relative  is  governed  by  fome  word  in  its  own  member  of 
the  fentence  :  as,  4  The  God,  who  preferveth  me  ;  nvbofe 
I  am,  and  whom  I  ferve-'  [8  ]  Becaufe  in  the  different  mem- 
bers of  the  fentence,  the  Relative  performs  a  different  of- 
fice :  in  the  firft  member  it  reprefents  the-  Agent;  in  thefe- 
cond  the  FoiTcflbr ;  in  the  third  the  objed  of  an  a&ion  : 

CCO* 

[7]  That  has  been  ufed  in  the  fame  manner,  as  including 
the  Relative  which  ;  bat  it  is  either  improper,  or  obfolete  : 
as,  To  confideradvifedly  of  tbat  is  moved.'  Bacon,  EfTay* 
xxii.  1  We  fpeak  that  we  do  know,  and  teftify  tbat  we 
have  feen.'  John  ii*u  11.  So  likewife  the  Neuter  Pronoun 
it :  as,  '  By  this  alfo  a  man  may  un'derftand,  when  it  is  that 
men  may  be  faid  to  be  conquered  ;  and  in  what  the  nature 
of  Conqueft  and  the  right  01  a  Conqueror  confifteth  :  for  this 
fubmiflion  is  it  [that  which]  implyeth  them  all.'  Hobbes, 
Leviathan,  Conclufion.  4  And  this  is  it  [that  which]  men 
mean  by  diftributive  Juftice,  and  [which]  is  properly  term- 
ed Equity."  Hobbes,  Elements  of  Law,  Part  I.  Chap, 
iv.  2. 

[8]  IVbo,  inftead  of  going  about  doing  good,  they  are 
perpetually  intent  upon  doing  mifebief.'  Tillotfon,  Serm. 
I.  1 8.  The  Nominative  Cafe  they  in  this  fentence  is  fu  per- 
ilous :  it  was  expreffed  before  in  the  Relative  who.  '  Com- 
mend me  to  an  argument  tbat  like  a  Flail,  there's  no  Fence 
againft  it.'  Bentley,  DhTert.  on  Euripides's  EpifUes,  Seel, 
i.  If  tbat  be  defigned  for  a  Relative,  it  ought  to  be  which  % 
governed  by  the  Prepolition  againft,  and  it  is  fuperMuous  r 
thus,  6  againft  which  there  is  no  fence  :  but  if  that  be  a 
Conjunction,  it  ought  to  be  in  the  preceding  member,  4  fuch 
an  argument-' 


II?  A  3*?0*T  INTRODUCTION 

and  therefore  mud  be  in  the  different  Cafes  ccrrefponding  to 
ihofe  offices. 

Every  Relative  mud  have  an  Antecedent  to  which  it  re- 
fers, either  exprefled  or  underftood  ;  as,  |  IVbo  (teals  my 
purfe,  deals  trafh     that  is,  i  the  man  <wbo  ■ 

The  Relative  is  of  the  fame  perfon  with  the  Antecedent ; 
^pdthe  Verb  agrees  with  it  accordingly  ;  as,  1  Who  \%  ibis, 
that  cometb  from  Edom ;  tbij,  that  is  gloibus  in  his  ap- 
parel ?  I,  tfrat  fpeak  in  righteouJneft;.'  Jfaiah  Ixiii.  i. 
\  O  Shepherd  of  Jirael  ;  Tbou,  that  Uadefi  Jofrph  like  a 
flock  ;  Tbou,  that  dwellcji  between  the  Cherubims.'-r— * 


[9]  <  I  am  the  Lardy  (bat  maletb  all  things ;  that 
JtrtJ$betb  forth  the  heavens  alone.'  'Jfaiah  xliv.  24*  THhs 
far  is  right:  tbe  Lord  in, the  Third  Perfon  is  the  Anteced* 
cnt,  and  the  Verb  agrees  with  the  Relative  in  the  third  Per* 
fen :  'I  am  the  Lord,  wbicb  Lora*,  or  He  tbat  mahetb  all 
things.'  It  would  haye  been  equally  right  if  I  had  been 
jnade  the  Antecedent,  and  the  Relative  and  the  Verb  had 
agreed  with  it  in  the  Firft  Perfon  :  1  Jam  the  Lord,  tbat 
made  all  things,1  But  when  it  follows,  6  tbat  fpreadctb 
abroad  the  earth  by  tnyfeif>'  there  arifes  a  confufion  of  per* 
fens,  and  a  manifeft  foiecifm. 

1  Tbou  great  firft  Caufe,  leaft  underftood; 

Wbo  all  my  fenfe  confined) 
To  know  but  this,  that  Tbou  art  good, 

And  that  myfelf  am  blind  : 
Yet  gave  me  in  this  dark  eftate,"  &c. 

Pope,  Univerfal  Prayer. 

Tt  ought  to  be  C6hjinedjl,  or  didjl  confine  ;  gavefiyor  dldji 
givey  &c.  in  the  lecond  perfon. 

<  O  Tbou  fimreme  !  high  thron'd  all  height  above  I 
O great  Pelafgic,  Dodonean  Jove! 


TO  ENGLISH   GRAMMAR.  1 1 J 

When  this,  that,  tbefe,  tbofc>  refer  to  a  preceding  fen- 
tence  ;  tbis%  or  tbefe,  refers  to  the  latter  member  or  term  > 
tbat<>  or  tbofe,  to  the  former ;  as, 

i  Self-love j  the  fpring  of  motion,  acts  the  foul  ; 
Reafon's  comparing  balance  rules  the  whole ; 
Man,  but  for  that*  no  a&ion  could  attend  ; 
And,  but  for  tbis>  were  a&ive  to  no  end  ' 

Pope,  Eflay  on  Man* 

'  Some  place  the  blils  in  a£lion,  fome  in  eafe : 

Tbofe  call  it  pleafure,  and  contentment  tbefe.'  Ibid- 

The  Relative  is  often  underftood,  or  omitted  \  as,  c  The 
majft  I  love  j  that  is,  whom  I  love.  [10] 


escecoaa.eoaocsa 


Wboy  'midft  furrounding  froiTs,  and  vapours  chill, 
Preiide  on  bleak  Dodona's  vocal  hill !' 

Pope,  Iliad  xvu  2X4* 

<  Nor  thou,  lord  Arthur,  (halt  efcape,. 

To  thee  1  often  call'd  in  vain, 
Again  ft  that  affaffin  in  crape  ; 

Yet  tbou  could'ft  tamely  fee  me  flain* 
Nor  when  I  felt  the  dreadful  blow,. 

Or  chid  the  dean,  ov  pinch' d  thy  fpoufe/ 

Swift,.  Market-hill,  Thonu 


£10];  «  Abufe  on  all  he  lev'd,  or  lbv'd  him,  fpread.' 

Pope,  Epift,  to  Arbuthnot- 


I  14  A  SHORT  INTRODUCTION 


The  accuracy  and  clearnefs  of  the  fentence  depend  very 
isuch  upon  the  proper  and  determinate  ufe  of  the  Relative  : 
fo  that  it  may  readily  prefentits  Antecedent  to  the  mind  of 
the  hearer  or  reader,  without  any  obfcurity  or  ambiguity. 
The  fame  may  be  oblerved  of  the  Pronoun  and  the  Noun  : 
which  by  fome  are  called  alio  the  Relative  and  the  Ante- 
cedent, [i] 

umii^iiiiMw 

That  is,  i  all  whom  he  lov'd,  or  who  lov'd  him  :*  or,  to 
make  it  more  eafy,  by  fupplying  a  Relative  that  has  no  va- 
riation of  Cafes,  all  that  he  lov'd,  or  that  lov'd  him.'  The 
ConftrucYion  is  hazardous,  and  hardly  juftifiable,  in  Poetry. 
1  In  the  temper  of  mind  he  was  then.'  Addifon,  SpeCt..  No, 
549-  i  In  the  poftu^e  I  lay.'  Swift,  Gulliver,  Part  I. 
Chap.  1.  In  thefe  and  the  like  phrafes,  which  are  very 
common,  there  13  an  Ellipfis  both  of  the  Relative  and  the 
Prepofition  ;  which  would  have  been  much  better  fupplied  : 
c  In  the  temper  of  mind  in  which  he  was  then.'  4  In  the 
poflure  in  which  I  lay.'  4  The  little  fatisfaclion  and  con- 
fiHency  [which]  is  to  he  found  in  moft  of  the  fyftems  of  Di- 
vinity [which]  I  have  met  with,  made  me  betake  myfelf  to 
the  fole  reading  of  the  Scripture  (to  which  they  all  appeal) 
Jbr  the  undemanding  [of]  the  Chriftian  Religion.'  Locke, 
Pref,  to  Reafonablewefs  of  Chriflianity.  In  the  following  ex- 
ample the  antecedent  is  omitted  :  4  He  defired  they  might 
go  to  the  author  together,  and  jointly  return  their  thanks  to 
whom  only  it  was  due.'  Addifon,  Freeholder,  No.  49. 
Jn  general,  the  omifiion  of  the  Relative  fsems  to  be  too 
much  indulged  in  the  familiar  ftyle  ;  it  is  ungraceful,  in  the 
folemn  ;  and,  of  whatever  kind  the  ftyle  be,  it  is  apt  to  be 
attended  with  obfcurity  and  ambiguity. 
'  [1]  The  Connective  parts  of  Sentences  are  the  mofl  im- 
portant of  all,  and  require  the  greateft  caie  and  attention  ; 
for  it  is  by  thefe  chiefly  that  the  train  cf  thought,  the  coiirfe 
r>f  reafoning,  and  t}ie  whole  progrels  of  the  mind,  in  conti- 
nued difcourfe  of  all  kind.,  is  laid  open  ;  and  on  the  right 
w'e  of  thefe  the  perlpicuityj  that  is,  the  firft  and  greateft 
beauty,  of  ftyle  principally  depend*. 


TO  ENGLISH   GRAMMAR.  I  i  5 

Conjunctions  have  fome times  a  Government  of  Modes. 
Some  Conjunctions  require  the  Indicative,  fome  the  Sub- 


000&0O00CJ33302* 


Relatives  and  Conjunctions  are  the  inflruments  of  Con- 
nexion in  difcourfe ;  it  may  be  of  ufe  to  point  out  fome  of 
the  moft:  common  inaccuracies,  that  writers  are  apt  to  fall 
i-2to  with  refpect  to  them  ;  and  a  few  examples  of  faults  may 
perhaps  be  more  inftrudlive,  than  any  rules  of  propriety  that 
can  be  given.  Here  therefore  (hall  be  added  fome  further 
examples  of  inaccuracies  in  the  ufe  of  Relatives. 

The  Relative  placed  before  the  Antecedent :  Examples : 
*  The  bodies  which  we  daily  handle,  make  us  perceive,  that 
whilft  they  remain  between  tbem^  they  do  by  an  unfurmount- 
able  force  hinder  the  approach  of  our  bands  that  prefs 
them.*  Locke,  EiTay,  B.  ii.  C.  4.  Seel:-  1.  Here  the  fenfe 
is  fufpended,  and  the  fentence  is  unintelligible,  till  you  get 
to  the  end  of  it ;  there  is  no  antecedent,  to  which  the  Rela- 
tive ib titty  can  be  referred,  but  bodies  ;  but,  4  whilfi  the 
bodies  remain  between  the  bodies/  makes  no  fenfe  at  alL 
When  you  get  to  bands,  the  difficulty  is  cleared  up,  the 
fenfe  helping  out  the  Conftruction.  Yet  there  fiill  remains 
an  ambiguity  in  the  Relatives  tbey>  tbem>  which  in  num- 
ber and  perfon  are  equally  applicable  to  bodies  or  bands  : 
this,  though  it  may  not  here  be  the  occafion  of  much  obfeu- 
rity,  which  is  commonly  the  effect  of  it,  yet  is  always  dis- 
agreeable and  inelegant :  as  in  the  following  examples  : 

4  Men  look  with  an  evil  eye  upon  the  good  that  is  in 
others  ;  and  think,  that  tbeir  reputation  obfeures  tbtm  ;  and 
that  tbeir  commendable  qualities  do  (land  in  tbeir  light : 
and  therefore  they  do  what  tbey  can  to  caft  a  cloud  over 
tbem,  that  the  bright  finning  of  tbeir  virtues  may  not  ob- 
fcure  tbem-'    Tillotfon,  Sermon  I.  42. 

4  The  Earl  of  Falmouth  and  Mr.  Coventry  were  rivals, 
who  fhould  have  moft  influence  with  the'  Duke,  ivbo  loved 
the  Earl  beft,  but  thought  the  other  the  wifer  man,  ivbo 
fuppoited  Penn,  ivbo  difobliged  all  the  Courtiers,  even  a- 
gainft  the  Earl,  ivbo  contemned  Penn  as  a  fellow  of  no 
fenfe.    Clarendon,  Com.  p.  264. 


Il6  A  SHORT  INTRODUCTION 

jun&ive  Mode,  after  them:  others  have  no  influence  at  all 
on  the  Mode. 

Hypothetical,  Conditional,  Concern*  ve,  and  Exceptive 
Conjun&ioas,  feem  in  general  to  require  the  SubjuncYive 
Mode  after  them  :  as,  if,  though,  unlefs,  except,  ivbc- 
tber> — or,  &c.  but  by  ufe  they  often  admit  of  the  Indica- 
tive ;  and  in  fome  cafes  with  propriety. 


»©M9O<J3«»00  802-1 


But  the  followiwg  Sentence  cannot  poffibly  be  underftood,. 
without  a  careful  recolledion  of  circumftances  through  fome 
pages  preced'ng  : 

4  All  which,  with  the  King's  and  Queen's  fo  ample  pro- 
mifes  to  him  [the  Treafurer]  fo  few  hours  before  the  con- 
ferring the  place  on  another,  and  the  Duke  of  York's  man- 
ner of  receiving  him  [the  Treamrer]  after  he  [the  Chancel- 
lor] had  been  Ihut  up  with  him  [the  Duke,]  as  he  [the  Trea- 
fiirer]  was  informed,  might  very  well  excufe  him  [the  Trea- 
furer] for  thinking  he  [the  Chancellor]  had  fome  fhare  in  the 
affront  he  [the  Treafurer]  had  undergone.'  Clarendon, 
Cont*  p.  276., 

'  Breaking  a  Conftltution  by  the  very  fame  errors,  that 
fo  many  have  been  broke  before.'  Swift,  Contefts  and 
DifTentions,  &c.  Chap.  5.  Here  the  Relative  is  employed 
not  only  to  reprefent  the  Antecedent  Noun  the  Errors,  but 
likewife  the  Prepofition  by  prefixed  to  it.    It  ought  to  be, 

*  the  fame  errors  by  which  fo  many  have  been  broken  be* 
fore. 

Again  :  < — An  undertaking  :  which,  although  it  has  fail- 
ed, (partly  &c  and  partly,  &c.)  is  no  objection  at  all  to 
an  enterprizs  fo  well  concerted,  and  with  fuch  fair  probabil- 
ity of  fuccefs.'    Swift,  Conduct  of  the  Allies.  That  is, 

*  Which  undertaking  is  no  objection  to  an  exterprize  fo  well 
concerted  ;  that  is,  1  to  itfelf ;'  he  means,  c  the  failure  or 
mijcarriage  cf  ubkb  it  no  objection  at  all  tQ 


TO  ENGLISH  GRAMMAR. 


"7 


"Examples:  If  thou  be  the  Son  of  God.'    Matt.  iv.  3. 

*  Though  he  flay  ire,  yet  will  I  put  my  truft  in  him.' 
Job  xiii.  15.    *  Unhfs  he  wajlj  his  flefh.'    Lev.  xii.  6. 

*  No  power,  except  it  were  given  from  above-'  John  xix. 
ti.  £  Whether  it  were  I  or  they,  ib  we  preach.*  1  Cor. 
3tv.  :i.  The  Subjunctive  in  thefe  in  fiances  implies  fome- 
thing  contingent  or  doubtful  ;  the  Indicative  would  exprefs 
n  more  abofointe  and  determinate  fenfe.  [2] 


[2]  The  following  example  may  ferve  to  illuftrate  this 
©bfervation  ;  s  Though  he  were  divinely  infpired,  and  fpake 
therefore,  as  the  oracles  of  God,  with  fupreme  author  ity  ; 
though  he  were  endued  with  fupernaiura!  powers,  and  could 
therefore  have  confirmed  the  truth  of  what  he  uttered  by 
miracles  ;  yet  in  compliance  with  the  way  in  which  human 
nature  and  reafonable  creatures  are  tffoaHy  worked  upon,  he 
reafoned.'    Atterbury,  Serin.  IV.  5. 

That  our  Saviour  was  divinely  infpired,  and  indued  w!th 
Supernatural  powers,  are  pofitions  that  are  here  taken  for 
granted,  as  not  admitting  of  the  leaft  doubt :  they  would 
therefore  have  been  better  expreiTed  in  the  Indicative  Modej 
i  though  he  was  divinely  infpired  \  though  he  was  indued 
with  Supernatural  powers.' 

The  Subjunctive  is  ufed  in  like  manner  in  the  following 
example :  1  Though  he  were  a  Son,  yet  learned  he  obedi- 
ence, by  the  things  which  he  fullered.'  Heb.  v.  8.  But  in 
a  fimilar  pafiage  the  Indicative  is  employed  to  the  fame  pur- 
pofe,  and  that  much  more  properly  :  4  Though  he  was  rich, 
yet  for  your  fakes  he  became  poor.'  2  Cor.  viii.  9.  The 
proper  ufe  then  ef  the  Subjunctive  Mode,  after  the  Con- 
junction, i3  in  the  cafe  of  a  doubtful  fuppofition  or  concefli- 
on  :  as,  4  Though  he  fall,  he  mail  not  be  utterly  call  down/ 
Pfal.  xxxvii.  24.  And  much  the  fame  may  be  laid  of  the 
red. 

The  fame  Conjunction  governing  both  the  Indicative  and 
the  Subjunctive  Mode  in  the  fame  fentence,  and  in  the 
lame  circumftances,  though  either  of  them  feparately  would 
be  right,  feems  to  be  a  great  impropriety  :  as, 


1  I  S  A   SHORT  INTRODUCTION 


That,  expreiling  the  motive  or  end,  has  the  Subjunctive 
Mode,  with  may,  might,  ftiould,  after  it. 

Left,  and  that  annexed  to  a  Command,  preceding;  and 
if  with  but  following  it ;  neceffarily  require  the  Suhjun  driver 
Mode  :  Examples  :  4  Let  him,  that  ftandeth,  take  heed  left 
he  fall."  i  Cor.  x»  in  'lake  heed,  that  thou  [peak 
rot  to  Jacob.'  Gen.  xxxi.  24.  {  If  he  do  but  touch  the 
lulls,  they  mall  fmoke.'    Pfal.  civ.  32.  [3] 

Other  Conjunctions,  exprefling  a  Continuation,  an  Ad- 
dition, an  Inference,  &c.  being  of  a  pofitive  and  abfolute 
nature,  require  the  Indicative  Mode;  or  rather  leave  the 
Mode  to  be  determined  by  the  other- circumftances  and  con- 
ditions of  the  fentence* 

When  the  Qualities  of  different  things-are  compared  ;  the 
>atter  Noun,  or  Pronoun,  is  not  governed  by.  the  Conjunc- 
tion than,  or  as  (for  a  Conjunction  has  no  Government  of 
Cafes)  but  agrees  with  the  Verb,,  or  is  governed  by  the 
Verb,  or  the  Prepofition,  expreffed,  or  underftood.  As, 
i  Thou  art  wifer  than  I  [am].'  1  You  are  not  fa  tall  as  I 
[am].'  1  You  think  him  handfomer  than  [you  think]  me  ; 
and  you  love  him  more  than  [you  love]  me.* 

In  all  other  inftances,  if  you  complete  the  Sentence  in 
like  manner,  by  fupplying  the  part  which  is  underftood ;  the 
Cafe  of  the  latter  Noun,  or  Pronoun,  will  be  determined. 


eoceeo**»CM 


<  Though  heaven's  King 
Ride  on  thy  wings,  and  thou  with  thy  compeers, 
Us'd  to  the  yoke,  drawft  his  triumphant  wheels 
In  progrefs  through  the  road  of  heav'n  ftar-pav'd.' 

Milton,  P.  L.lV.973. 

«  If  there  be  but  one  body  of  legiflators,  it  is  no  better 
than  a  tyranny  ;  if  there  are  only  two,  there  will  want  a 
catting  voice/  ■  Addifon,  Sped.  No.  287. 

[3]  In  the  following  inftances,  the  Conjun&ion  that,  ex- 
prefted,  or  underftood,  feems  to  be  improperly  accompanied 
with  the  Subjunctive  Mode  : 


TO  ENGLISH   GRAMMAR.  I  19 

Thus,  *  Plato  obferves,  that  God  geometrizes :  and  the  fame 
thing  was  obferved  before  by  a  wifer  man  than  be  f  that  is, 
than  be  was.  «  It  is  well  expreffed  by  Plato  ;  but  more  elc- 
gantly  by  Solomon  than  blm     that  is;  than  by  bim*  [4] 


*  So  much  (he  fears  for  William's  life, 

Tbat  Mary's  fate  me  dare  not  mourn.'  Prior, 

M  Her  eyes  in  heaven 
Would  through  the  airy  region  ftream  fo  bright, 
That  birds  would  fing,  and  think  it  were  not  night.' 

,  Shakefpear,  Rom.  and  Jul. 

[4]  fi  You  are  a  much  greater  lofer  than  me  by  his  death,' 
Swift,  to  Pope,  Letter  63, 

*  And  tho'  by  heaven's  fevere  decree 
She  fuffers  hourly  more  than. rjieS 

Swift,  to  Stella, 

*  We  contributed  a  third  more  than  the  Dutch,  who  were 
obliged  to  the  fame  proportion  more  than  us.'  Swift,  Con* 
duel  of  the  Allies. 

f  King  Charles,  and  more  than  binij  the  Duke,  and  the 
Fopilh  Faction,  were  at  liberty  to  form  new  fchem.es.--  Bo- 
lingbroke,  Diff,  on  Parties,  Letter  3, 

*  The  drift  of  all  his  Sermons  was,  to  prepare  the  Jews 
for  the  reception  of  a  Prophet,  mightier  than  ffim,  and 
whofe  fhoes  l)e  was  not  worthy  to  bear.' 

Atturbury,  Serm.  IV.  4, 

*  A  Poem  which  is  good  in  jtfelf  cannot  lofe  any  thing  cf 
iff  real  value  :  though  it  mould  appear  not  to  be  the  work 
of  fo  eminent  an  author,  as  birri,  to  whom  it  was  firfl  im- 
puted-'    Congreve,  Prefc  to  Homer's  Hymn  to  Venus. 

'  A  (lone  is  heavy,  and  the  fand  weighty  :  but  a  fooPg 
wrath  is  heavier  than  tbem  fectht    Proy,  xxvii.  3* 


120 


A   SHORT  INTRODUCTION" 


But  the  Relative  wfa,  having  Reference  to  no  Verb  or 
Prepohtion  underftaod,  but  only  to  its  Antecedent,  wh$o  it 
ftllows  tban,  is  always  in  the  Objective  Cafe  ;  even  though 


<  If  the  King  gives  us  leave,  you  or  I  may  as  lawfully 
preach,  as  them  tkat  do/  Hobbes,  Hift.  of  Civil  Weirs, 
page  62. 

i  The  fun  upon  the  calmed  fea 

Appears  not  half  fo  bright  as  Thee*  Prior. 

i  Then  fmifh,  dear  Chloe,  this  Paftoral  war, 
And  let  us  like  Horace  and  Lydia  agree  ; 

For  thou  art  a  Girl  as  much  brighter  than  ber, 
As  he  was  a  Poet  fublimer  than  me." 

4  Phalaris,  who  was  fo  Kiuch  older  than  her*  Bentley, 
DhTert.  on  Phalaris,  p.  537. 

In  thefe  paflages  it  ought  to  be,  I,  lVe>  He,  They,  Tbou, 
She,  refpetlively.  Perhaps  the  following  example  may  ad- 
mit of  a  doubt,  whether  it  be  properly  exprefTed  or  not : 

(  The  lover  got  a  woman  of  a  greater  fortune  than  her 
he  had  mifs'd.'  Addifon,  Guardian,  No.  97.  Let  us  try 
it  by  the  Rule  given  above  ;  and  fee,  whether  fome  correc- 
tion will  not  be  neceflary,  when  the  parts  of  the  fentence 
which  are  underftood,  come  to  be  fupplied  :  i  The  lover  got 
a  woman  of  a  greater  fortune,  than  Jhe  [wax,  whom]  he 
Jiad  mifs'd.' 

Nor  hope  to  be  myfelf  lefs  miferable 
By  what  I  feek,  but  others  to  make  fuch 
As  L'  Milton,  P.  L.  ix.  126. 

The  Syntax,  fays  Dr.  Bentley,  requires,  *  make  fuel?  as 
we,'  On  the  contrary,  the  Syntax  r.eceflarily  requires, 
J  make  fuch  as  I;'  for  it  is  not,  «  I  hope  to  make  others 


TO  ENGLISH  GRAMMAR. 


121 


the  PeiTonal  Pronoun,  if  fubftituted  in  its  place,  would  be 
in  the  Nominative  ;  as, 

*  Beelzebub,  than  whom, 
Satan  except,  none  higher  fat." 

Milton,  P.  L.  ii.  299* 

which,  if  we  fubftrtute  the  Perfonal  Pronoun,  would  be, 

4  none  higher  fat,  than  he* 

The  Conjunction  that  is  often  omitted  and  underftood  ; 
as,  4  I  beg  you  would  come  to  me     4  See  thou  do  it  not 
that  is,  4  that  you  would,;'  4  that  thou  do.  £5] 

The  Nominative  Cafe  following  the  Auxiliary,  or  the 
Verb  itfelf,  fometimes  fupplies  the  place  of  the  Conjunction, 

or  though :  as,  4  Had  -he  do«e  this,  he  had  efcaped 
*  Charm  he  never  fo  [6]  wifely  j'  that  is,  4  if  he  had  done 
this 4  though  he  charm.' 

Some  Conjunctions  have  their  correspondent  Conjuncti- 
ons belonging  to  them  :  fo  that,  in  the  fubfequent  Member 
of  the  Sentence,  the  latter  anfwers  to  the  former :  as  a!" 
though,  ycty  or  nevertbehfs  j  whether—,  or  ;  either*— 5 


fuch,  as  to  make  me  f  the  Pronoun  is  not  governed  by  the 
Verb  to  m akey  but  is  the  Nominative  Cafe  to  the  Verb  am, 
•underftood  ;  4  to  make  others  fuch  as  I  am' 

[5  ]  4  But  it  is  reafon,  the  memory  of  their  virtues  remain 
to  their  pofterity.'  Bacon,  EfTay  xiv.  In  this  and  many 
the  like  phrafes,  the  Conjunction  were  much  better  inferted  1 
*  that  the  memory,  &c.' 

[6]  Never  fo — 4  This  phrafe,  fays  Dr.  Johnfon,  is  juftly 
accufed  of  SolecuW   It  fhould  be,  ever  fo  wifely. ;  that 


J22  A   SHORT  INTRODUCTION 


cr  ;  neither,  or  nor— ,  nor;  as — ,  as  ;  exprt  fling  a  Com- 
panion of  equality  ;  c  as  white  as  fnow  as~ ,  jo  ;  tx- 
pre fling  a  Compari fon  fometimesof  equality  :  as  the  ftars,/o 
ihall  thy  feed  be  that  is,  equal  in  number :  but  moft  com* 
monly  a  Comparifon  in  refpect  to  quality  ;  '  and  it  (ball  be 
GS  with  the  people,  fo  with  the  prieft ;  as  with  the  fervaut, 
fo  with  his  mafler *  as  is  the  good,  fo  is  the  finner ;  as 
the  one  ditth,  fo  dieth  the  other  that  is,  in  like  manner : 
fo — ,  as,  with  a  Verb,  exprefling  a  comparifon  of  quality  ; 
'  To  fee  thy  glory,  fo  as  1  have  leen  thee  in  the  fan&uary 
but  with  a  Negative  and  an  Adjective,  a  Comparifon  in  le- 
fpect  of  quantity;  as,  *  Porepey  had  eminent  abilities :  but 
!>e.  was  neither  fo  eloquent  and  politic  a  flatefman,  nor  fo 
brave  and  flcilful  a  general :  nor  was  he  upon  the  whole  fo 
great  a  maa  as  Caefar /o— ,  that  exprefling  a  confequence , 

•oooooeoeoce 


is,  how  wifely  foever,  *  BeHdes,  a  llave  would  not  have 
been  admitted  into  that  fociety,  had  he  had  never  fuch  bp- 
portunities.'    Bently,  Differt.  on  Phaiaris,  p.  338. 

[7]  I  have  been  the  more  particular  in  noting  the  proper 
fcfes  of  thefe  Conjunctions,  becaufe  they  occur  very  frequent- 
ly, and,  as  it  was  obfervtd  befcre  of  connective  words  in 
general,  are  of  great  importance  with  refpecl  to  the  clear- 
nefs  and  beauty  of  ftyle.  I  may  add  too,  becaufe  mifnkes 
in  the  ufe  of  them  are  very  common  ;  as  will  appear  by  the 
following  examples  : 

The  Diftributive  ConjimcYibn  either,  is  fametimes  irnpio- 
perly  ufed  alone,  in-fiead  of  the  fim pie  Disjunctive  cr : 4  Can 
the  fig-tree  bear  olive-berries  ?  either  a  vine,  figs  ?'  James, 
.iii.  12.  '  Why  beholdelt  thou  the  mote,  that  is  in  thy  bro- 
ther's eye  ;  but  perceiveft  not  the  beam,  that  is  in  thine  own 
•eye  ?  Either  how  canft  thou  fay  to  thy  brother,  Brother, 
let  me  pull  out  the  mote  that  is  in  thine  eye  ;  when  thou 
thyf  lf  beholdeft  not  the  beam,  that  is  in  thine  own  eye  V 
iiuke  vi.  4r;  4?,    See.  alfo  Chap,  xy.  8.  and  Phil.  iii.  12, 


TO  ENGLISH   GRAMMAR.  I  &  J 

Interjections  in  Englifh  have  no  Government. 


tfeilber  "19  fometimes  fuppofed  to  be  included  in  its  cor* 

refpondent  nor  : 

4  Simois,  nor  Xanthus,  fhail  be  wanting  there.' 

Dryden; 

4  That  all  the  application  he  could  make,  nor  the  King's 
gwii  interpofition,  could  prevail  with  her  Majefty.'  Cla- 
rendon, Hitl.  Vol.  III.  p.  179.  Sometimes  to  be  fnppiied 
by  a  fubfequent  Negative  :  4  His  rule  holdeth  ftill,  that  Na- 
ture, nor  the  engagement  ei  words,  are  not  fo  forcible  as 
cuftoFn.'  Bacon,  Effay  xxxix.  *  The  King,  nor  the  Queen 
were  not  at  all  deceived.'  Clarendon,  Vol  II.  p.  363* 
Thefe  forms  of  expreilion  feem  both  of  them  equally  im* 
proper. 

Or  is  fometimes  ufed  inftead  of  hot*,  after  neither:-— 
4  This  is  another  life,  that,  in  my  opinion,  contributes  ra- 
ther to  make  a  man  learned  than  wife,  and  is  neither  ca- 
pable of  pleafing  the  underftanding,  or  imagination/  Ad- 
dition, Dial.  I.  on  Medals. 

Neither  for  nor  :  4  Neither  in  this  world,  neither  in  the 
world  to  come.'    Matt.  xii.  32. 

So — asy  was  ufed  by  the  Writers  of  the  lafl  century,  to 
exprefs  a  ConfeoAuence,  inftead  of  fo — that:  Examples: 
4  And  the  third  part  of  the  flars  was  fmitten  :  fo  as  [that] 
the  third  part  of  them  was  darkened.1  Rev.  viii.  12.  4  The 
relations  are  fo  uncertain,  as  [that]  they  require  a  great 
d-.-al  of  examination.'  Bacon,  Nat.  Hift.  4  So  as  [that]  it 
is  a  hard  calumny  to  affirm — '  Temple.  4 -So  as  [that] 
his  thoughts  might  be  feen.'  Bentley,  Diflert.  on  jEfsp's 
Fables,  Seel.  vi.  4  There  was  fomething  fo  amiable,  and 
yet  fo  piercing  in  his  looks,  as  [that  it]  infpired  me  at  once 
with  love  and  terror.'  Addifon,  Specl;  No.  63.  4  This 
computation  being  fo  eafy  and  trivial,  a.r-[that]  it  is  a  fhame 
to  mention  ut.'    Swift,  Conduft  of  the  Allies.    4  That  the 


Ifi<f  A    SHORT  INTRODUCTION 

Though  they  arc  ufually  attended  with  Nouns  in  the  No- 


•cceoeetece. 


Spaniards  were  fo  violently  affected  to  the  Houfe  of  Auftria, 
as  [that]  the  whole  kingdom  would  revolt/  Ibid. 

Swift,  I  belie  re,  is  the  J  a  A  of  our  good  writers,  who  has 
frequently  ufed  this  manner  of  cxpreffion  :  it  feems  impro- 
per, and  is  defervedly  grown  obfoleie. 

u4fj  inflead  of  that^  in  another  manner:  4  If  a  man  have 
that  penetration  of  judgment,  as  (that)  he  candifcern  what 
things  are  to  be  laid  open.'  Bacon,  Eflfay  yu  4  Jt  is  the 
nature  of  extreme  felf-lcvers,  as  (that)  they  will  fet  an  houfe 
on  fire,  and  it  were  but  to  roaft  their  eggs."  Id.  Eflay 
Xxiii.  4  They  would  have  given  him  fuch  fatisfacYion  in 
other  particulars,  as  (that)  a  full  and  happy  peace  mud  have 
enfued.'    Clarendon,  Vol.  III.  p.  214. 

4  I  gain' J  a  fon  ; 
And  fuch  a  fon5  as  all  men  hail'd  me  happy/ 

Milton,  Samf.  Ag. 

*  We  fliould  fufficiently  weigh  the  objects  of  our  hope  ; 
whether  they  be  fuch,  as  (that)  we  may  reafonably  expect 
from  them  what  they  propofe  in  their  fruition,  and  whether 
they  are  fuch,  as  we  are  pretty  fure  of  attaining.'  Addl- 
fon,  Sped.  No.  535.  4  France  was  then  difpofed  to  con- 
clude a  peace  upon  fuch  conditions,  as  (that)  it  was  not 
worth  the  life  of  a  grenadier  to  refufe  them.'  Swift,  Four 
Laft  Years  of  the  Queen,  B.  ii- 

As  inftead  of  the  Relative  that,  <wbo,  or  which :  4  An  it 
had  not  been  for  a  civil  Gentleman,  as  (who)  came  by — 
Sir  J.  Witto),  in  Congreve's  Old  Batchelor-    c  The  Duke 
had  not  behaved  with  that  loyalty,  as  (with  which)  he  ought 

to  have  done/    Clarendon,  Vol.  II.  p.  46c    <-  With 

thofe  thoughts  as  (which)  might  contribute  to  their  honor.^ 
Ibid.  p.  565.  4  In  the  order  as  they  lie  in  his  Preface.' 
Middleton,  Works,  Vol.  III.  p.  8.  It  ought  to  be  either 
'in  order)  a3  they  lie;'  or,  4  in  the  order  in  which  they 


TO  ENGLISH   GRAMMAR.  I2£ 
minative  Cafe,  and  Verbs  in  the  Indicative  Mode  ;  yet  tlig 


lie  *  *  Securing  to  yourfelves  a  fucceffion  of  able  and  wor- 
thy men,  as  (which  or  who)  may  adorn  this  place*'  Atter- 
bury,  Serm.  IV.  12. 

The  Relative  that  inftead  of  .as  •;  4  Such  fharp  replies^ 
thai  (as)  cod  him  his  life  in  a  few  months  after/  Claren- 
don, Vol.  III.  p.  179.  And  inftead  of  fitcb — 4  If  he  was 
truly  that  (fuch  a)  fcare-crow,  as  he  is  now  commonly 
painted.  But  I  wifh  I  could  do  that  (Such)  juOice  to  the 
memory  of  our  Phrygian  (as)  to  oblige  the  painters  to 
change  their  pencil.'  Bentley,  Differt.  on  iEfop's  Fables,; 
Sect,  x. 

The  Relative  <wfco — ,  inftead  of  as  ;  6  There  was  no 
man  fo  fanguine,  who  did  not  apprehend  fome  ill  confe-- 
queuce  from  the  late  change.'  Swift,.  Examiner,  No.  24. 
It  ought  to  be,  either,  4  fo  fanguine,  as  not  to  appre* 
hend  ;< — or,  4  There  was  no  man,  bo<w  fanguine  foevery 
who  did  not  apprehend.' 

As  improperly  omitted :  4  Chaucer  followed' nature  every 
where :  but  was  never  fo  bold  (as)  to  go  beyond  her.'  Dry* 
den,  Preface  to  Fables-  4  Which  nobody  prefumes,  or  is  fo 
fanguine  (as)  to  hope/  Swift,  Drap.  Let.,  v.  4  They  are 
fo  bold  (as)  to  pronounce. — '  Swift,  Tale  of  a  Tub,  Seel, 
vii.  4  1  muft  however  be  fo  juft  (as)  to  own.'  Addifon, 
Speft.  No.  35*  4  That  the  difcourfmg  of  Politics  (hall  be 
looked  upon  (as)  dull  as  talking,on  the  weather.'  Addifon, 
Freeholder,  No.  38.. 

The  Conjunction  but  inftead  of  than :  4  To  truft  in  Chrifl 
is  no  more  but  to  acknowledge  him  for  God.-  Hobbes,  Hu- 
man Nature,  Chap.  xi.  11.  4  They  will  concern  the  fe- 
male fex  only,  and  import  no  more  but  that  fubje&ion, 
they  fhould  ordinarily  be  in  to  their  hufbands.''  Locke.— 
4  The  full  moon  was  no  fooner  up,  and  mining  in  all  its 
brightnefsj  but  he  privately  opened  the  gate  of  Paradifc. 
K  * 


126  a  SHORT  INTRODUCTION. 


Cafe  and  Mode  are  not  influenced  by  them,  but  determined 
by  the  nature  of  the  Sentence.  (8) 


eCC»?OCCC35« 


Addifon,  Guardian,  No.  167.  <  This  is  none  other  but  the 
lioufe  of  God-'    Genefis,  xxxvii.  17. 

Too — ,  that,  improperly  ufed  as  Correfpondent  Conjunc- 
tions :  4  Whole  characters  are  too  profligate,  that  the  ma- 
naging of  them  fhould  be  of  any  a^eq^^ce.'  Swift,  Ex- 
aminer, No.  24*  It  ought  to  he,  c  So  profligate,  that  the 
managing  of  them  cannot  be  of  any  confequence.'  Aad, 
too — than  :  i  You  that  are  are  a  (lep  higher  than  a  Philo- 
lofopher,  a  Divine  ;  yet  have  too  much  grace  and  wit  than 
to  be  a  Bifhop.'  Pope,  to  Swift,  Letter  8o-  It  ought  to- 
be,  i  Too  much  grace  and  wit  to  be  a  Bifhop:'  without  than*. 
So — but  :■  *  If  the  appointing  and  apportioning  of  penalties 
to  crimes  be  not  fo  properly  a  eonfideration  of  juftice,  but' 
rather  (as)  of  prudence  in  the  Lawgiver.'  Tillotfon,  Serm., 

And  to  conclude  with  an  example,  in  which,  whatever 
may  be  the  thought  of  the  accuracy  of  the  expreflion,  the 
juftnefs  of  the  obfervation  will  be  acknowledged:  which 
may  fcrve  alfo  as  an  apology  for  this  and  many  of  the  pre-, 
ceding  Notes  :  *  No  eirors  are  fo  trivial,  but  they  deferve. 
to  be  mended.'    Pcpe>  to,  Steele,  Letter  6. 

(8)  }  Ah  me!'  fcems  to  be  a  phrafe  of  the  fame  nature 
with  <  Wo  is  me  ! '  fop  the  refolution  of  which,  fee  above. 


PUNCTUATION, 


TO  ENGLISH  GRAMMAR. 


127 


PUNCTUATIO  N. 


PUNCTUATION  is  the  art  of.  marking  in  writing  the 
feveral  paufes,  or  refts,  between  fentences  and  the 
parts  of  fentences,  according  to  their  proper  quantity  or  pro* 
portion,  as  they  are  expreffed  in  a  juft  and  accurate  pronun- 
ciation.. 

As  the  feveral  articulate  founds,  the  fytlables  and;  words, 
ef  which  fentences  confift,  are  marked  by  Letters  ;  fo  the 
refts  and  paufes  between  fentences  and  their  parts,  are  mark-, 
ed  by  Points. 

But  though  thefeverak  articulate  founds  are  pretty  fully 
and  exactly  marked  by  Letters  of  known  and  determinate 
power  ;  yet  the  feveral  paufes  which  are  ufed  in  a  juft  pro-, 
nunciation  of,,  difcourfe,  ara  very  imperfectly  expreffed  by- 
Points. 

For  the  different  degrees  of  connexion  between  the  feve«~ 
ral  parts  of  fentences,  and  the  different  paufes  in  a  juft  pro- 
nunciation,, which  exprefs .  thofe  degrees  of  connexion  ac-. 
cording  to  their  proper  value,  admit  of  great  variety  ;  but . 
the  whole  number  of  Points,  whkh  we.  have  to  exprefs  this , 
variety,  amounts  only  to  Four. 

Hence  it  is,  that  we  are  under  a  necdlity  of  expreflfing^ 
panfes  of  the  fame  quantity,  ,on  different  occafions,.  by  dif- 
ferent points  ;.  and  more  frequently,  of/expreiftng  paufes  of/ 
different  quantity  by  the  fame  points. 

So  that  the  doctrine  of  Punctuation  muft  needs  he  very 
imperfect few.precife  Rules  can  be  given  which  will  hold 
without  exception  in  all  cafes  ;  but  much  muft  be  left  to> 
the  judgment  and-tafte  of  the  writer.. 

On  the  other  hand,,  if  a  greater  number  of  marks  were 
invented  to  exprefs  all  the  poflible  different  paufes  of  pro- 
nunciation ;  the  doctrine  of  them  would  be  veiy  perplexed- 
and  difficult,  and  the  ufe  of  .  them  would  ratber  embarrafs, 
*han  affut.thc  feader* . 


128 


A  SHORT  INTRODUCTION 


It  remains  therefore,  that  we  be  content  with  the  Rules 
of  Punctuation,  laid  down  with  as  much  exactnefs  as  the 
nature  of  the  fubject  will  admit:  fuck  as  may  ferve  for  a 
general  direction,  to  be  accommodated  to  different  occafi- 
ons  ;  and  to  be  fupplied,  where  deficient,  by  the  writer's 
judgment. 

The  feveral  degrees  of  Connexion  between  Sentences, 
and  between  their  principal  conftructive  parts,  Rhetoricians 
have  confidered  ufider  the  following  dilHnctions,  as  the  moft 
obvious  and  remarkable  :  the  Period,  Colon,  Semicolon,  and 
Comma. 

The  Period  is  the  whole  Sentence,  complete  in  itfelf, 
wanting  nothing  to  make  a  full  and  perfect  fenfe,  and  not 
connected  in  conftrudtion  with  a  fubfequent  fentence. 

The  Colon,  or  Member,  is  a  chief  conftructive  part,  or 
greater  divifion  of  a  Sentence. 

The  Semicolon  or  Half-member,  is  a  lefs  conftructive 
part,  or  fub-divifion  of  a  Sentence  or  Member. 

A  Sentence,  or  Member,  is  again  fub-divided  into  Com- 
mas, or  Segments  f,  which  are  the  leaft  conftructive  parts  of 
a  Sentence  or  Member,  in  this  way  of  confidering  it ;  for 
the  next  fub-divilion  would  be  the  refolution  of  it  into  Phraf- 
es  and  Word*.. 

The  Grammarians  have  followed  this  divifion  of  the  Rhe- 
toricians, and  have  appropriated*  to  each  of  thefe  diftincti-? 
ons  its  Mark  or  Point ;  which  takes  its  name  from  the  part 
of  the  fentence  which  it  is  employed  to  diftinguifh  ;  as  fol* 

lows  :  

The  Period  f  • 

The  Colon  Lis  thus  marked  <J  : 

i  he  Semicolon    j  j  ; 

The  Comma      J.  L » 

The  proportional  quantity,  or  time,  of  the  points,with  refpect' 
to  one  another,  is  determined  by  the  following  general  rule:: 
The  Period  is  a  paufe  in  quantity  or  duration  double  of  the 
Colon  ;  the  Colon  is  double  of  the  Semicolon  ;  and  the  Se- 
lnicolon  is  double  of  the  Comma.  So  that  they  are  in  the 
fame  proportion  to  one  another,  as  the  Semibref,  the  Minim, 
the  Crotchet*  and  the  Quaver,  in  Mufic-  The  precife  quan- 
tity, or  duration,  of  each  Paufe  or  Note,  cannot  be  defined;, 


TO  ENGLISH  GRAMMAR.  129 

for  that  varies  with  the  Time  ;  and  both  in  Difcourfe  and 
Mufic,  the  Tame  Cotnpofition  may  be  rehearfed  in  a  quicker 
or  a  flower  Time  :  but  in  Mufic  the  proportion  between  the 
Notes  remains  ever  the  fame  ;  and  in  Difcourfe,  if  the  doc- 
trine of  Punctuation  were  exact,  the  proportion  between 
the  Paufes  would  be  ever  invariable. 

The-  Points  then  being  defigned  to  cxprefs  the  Paufes 
which  depend  on  the  different  deg-ees  of  connexion  between 
featences,  and  between  their  principal  conductive  parts;  in 
order  to  underftand  the  meaning  of  the  Points,  and  to  knovi 
how  to  apply  them  properly,  we  mu3  confider  the  nature  of 
a  fentence,  as  divided  into  its  principal  conftrudYive  parts  ; 
and  the  degrees  of  connexion  between  thofe  parts,  upon 
which  fuch  divifion  of  it  depends. 

To  begin  with  the  leaf!  of  thefc  principal  constructive 
parts,  the  Comma.  In  order  the  more  clearly  to  determine 
the  proper  application  of  the  Point  which  marks  it,  we  mufl 
diflinguifli  between  an  Imperfect  Phrafe,  a  Simple  Sentence,, 
and  a  Compound  Sentence. 

.An  Imperfect  Phrafe  contains  no  affertion,  or  does  not 
amount  to  a  Propofition  or  Sentence. 

A  Simple  Sentence  has  but  one  Subject,  and  one  Finite 
Verb. 

A  Compounded  Sentence  has  more  than  one  Subject,  cr 
one  finite  Verb,  either  exprefiVd  or  underftood  ;  or  it  con* 
fids  of  two  or  mere  fimple  fentencei  connected  together. 

In  a  Sentence  the  Subject  and  the  Verb  may  be  each  of 
them  accompanied  with  feveral  Adjuncts;  as  the  Object,  the 
End,  the  Circumftances  of  Time,  Place,  Manner,  and  the 
like  ;  and  the  Subject  or  Verb  may  be  either  immediately 
connected  with  them,  or  mediately  ;  that  is,  by  being  con- 
nected with  fome  thing,  which  is  connected  with  fome  other  j 
and  fo  on. 

Jf  the  feveral  Adjuncts  affect  the  Subject  or  the  Verb  in 
a  different  manner,  they  are  only  fo  many  imperfect  Phrafes  ? 
and  the  fentence  is  fimple. 

A  Simple  Sentence  admits  of  no  Point  by  which  it  may- 
be divided,  or  dnTm;>iufhed,  into  narts. 


130  A   SHORT  INTRODUCTION 

If  thi  feveral  Adjuncts  affect  the  Subject  or  the  Verb  in 
the  fame  mai  mer,  they  may  be  refolved  into  fo  many  6m- 
ple  Sentences  :  the  Sentence  then  becomes  Compounded, 
and  it  smut  be  divided  into  its  parts  by  Points.  : 

For,  if  there  are  feveral  fubjects  belonging  in  the  fame 
manner  to  one  Verb,  or  feveral  Verbs  belonging  in  the  fame 
manner  to  one  fubject,  the  Subjects  and  the  Verbs  are  uill 
to  be  accounted  equal  in  number;  for  every  Verb  muft  have 
its  Subject,  and  every  Subject  its  Verb  ;  and  every  one  of 
the  Subjects,  or  Verbs,  Ihould  or  may  have  its  Point  of 
Diftinction. 

Examples. 

11  The  paffion  for  praife  produces  excellent  effects  in  wo- 
men  of  fenfe."  Addifon,  Spect.  No- 73,  In  this  fentence 
pajfijii  is  the  fubject,  and  produce:^  the  Verb:  each  of 
which  is  accompanied  and  connected  with  its  Adjuncts.  The 
fubject  is  not  paffion  in  general,  but  a  particular  paffion  de- 
termined by  its  Adjunct  of  Specification,  as  we  may  call  it, 
the  paflien  for  praife.  So  likewife  the  Verb  is  immedi- 
ately connected  with  its  object,  excellent  effeSls  ;  and  me- 
diately that  is,  by  the  intervention  of  the  word  effecls, 
with  women,  the  fubject  in  which  thefe  effects  are  pro- 
duced :  which  agah>is  connected  with  its  Adjunct  of  fpftfci- 
fieation  ;  for  it  is  not  meaned  of  women  in  general,  but  of 
women  of  fenfe  only.  Laflly,  it  is  to  be  obierved,  that  the 
Verb  is  connected  with  each  of  thefe  feveral  Adjuncts  in  a 
different  manner  ;  namely,  with  effe&s,  as  the  object ;  with 
women,  as  the  fubject  cf  them  ;  with  fenfe,  as  tke  quality 
cr  charadterifiic  ot  thofe  women.  The  Adjuncts  therefore 
are  only  fo  many  imperfect  Phrafes  ;  the  fentence  is  a  Am- 
ple fentence,  and  admits  of  no  Point,  by  which  it  may  be 
diffmguifhed  into  parts. 

"  The  paffion  for  praife,  which  is  fo  very  vehement  in 
the  fair  fex,  produces  excellent  effects  in  women  of  fenie." 
Here  a  new  Verb  is  introduced,  accompanied  with  Adjuncts 
of  its  own  ;  and  the  fubject  is  repeated  by  the  Relative  Pro- 
noun wbicb.  It  now  becomes  a  Compounded  fentence, 
made  up  of  two  iimple  Sentences,  one  of  which  is  inferted 


TO  ENGLISH  GRAMMAR.  IJI 

in  the  middle  of  the  other;  it  mufl  therefore  be  diftinguim- 
ed  into  its  component  parts  by  a  Point  placed  on  each  fide 
of  the  additional  fentence. 

w  How  many  inflances  have  we  [in  the  fair  fex]  of  chaf- 
tity,  fidelity,  devotion  1  How  many  Ladies  diftingmfli 
themfelves  by  the  education  of  their  children,  care  of  their 
families,  and  love  of  their  buhbands  ;  which  aie  the  great 
qualities  and  atchievernents  of  womankind  ;  as  the  making 
of  war,  the  carrying  on  of  traffic,  and  the  adminiflration  of 
juflice,  are  thofe  by  which  men  grow  famous,  and  get  them* 
ielves  a  name  1"  Ibid. 

In  the  fei  ft  of  thefe  two  fentences,  the  Adjuncts  cbaftity, 
fidelity,  devotion,  a*e  connected  with  the  Verb  by  the  word 
injiances  in  the  fame  manner,  and  in  effect  make  fo  many 
duttnft  fentences  :  "  how  many  inflances  have  we  of  chal* 
tity  !  How  many  inflances  have  we  of  fidelity  !  how  many 
inflances  have  we  of  devotion  !"  They  mufl  therefore  be 
(eparated  from  one  another  by  a  Point.  The  fame  may  be 
faid  of  the  Adjnn&s,  1  education  cf  their  children,  &c.'  in 
the  former  part  of  the  fentence  :  as  likewife  of  the  feveral 
fubje&s,  <  the  making  of  war,  '&c.'  in  the  latter  part;  which 
have  in  effect  each  their  Verb ;  for  each  of  thefe  4  is  an  at- 
chievement  by  v/hich  men  grow  famous,' 

As  fentences  themfelves  are  divided  into  Simple  and  Com*, 
pounded,  fo  the  Members  of  Sentences  may  bw- divided  like* 
wife  into  Simple  and  Gompou nded  Members  :  for  whole  fen* 
tences,  whether  Simple  or  Compounded,  may  become  Mem* 
bers  of  other  fentences  by  means  of  fome  additional  connex- 
ion. 

Simple  Members  of  fentences  clofelv  connected  together 
in  one  Compounded  Member  or  Senuvice,  are  diflinguifhed 
or  feparated  by  a  Comma  :   as  in  the  foregoing  examples. 

So  likewife  the  Cafe  Abfolute  ;  Nouns  in  Apportion,  when 
con  lifting  of  many  terms;  the  Participle  with  fomething  de- 
pending on  it;  are  to  be  di^inguifhed  by  the  Comma  :  for 
they  may  be  refolved  into  fimple  Members. 

When  an  addrefs  is  made  to  a  perfon,  the  Noun,  anfwer- 
ing  to  the  Vocative  Cafe  in  Latin,  is  difVingui-hed  by  a  Com- 
ma. 


A  SHORT  INTRODUCTION 


Examples. 

1  This  foid,  He  form'd  thee,  Adam  ;  thee,  O  man, 
Dull  of  die  ground.' 

i  Nov?  Morn,  her  rofy  Heps  "in  th*  eaftem  clime 
Advancing,  fow'd  the  .earth  with  orient  pearl.' 

Milton. 

Two  Nouns,  or  two  Adjectives,  connected  by  a  fingle 
Copulative  or  Disjunctive,  are  not  fepa  rated  by  a  Point; 
but  when  there  are  more  than  two,  or  where  the  Conjunc- 
tion is  undei  flood,  they  muft  be  diffmguifhed  by  a  Comma. 

Simple  Members  connected  by  Relatives  and  Compara- 
tives, are  for  the  moft  part  .difVuiguifhed  by  a  Comma  :  but 
when  the  Members  are  fhort  in  Comparative  Sentences  ;  and 
when  two  Members  are  clofely  connected  by  a  Relative,  rt*- 
(training  the  general  notion  af  the  Antecedent  to  a  particu- 
lar fenie ;  the  paule  becomes  almoft  infenfible,  and  the  Com- 
ma is  better  .omitted. 

"Examples. 

4  Raptures,  tranfports,  and  extacies,  are  the  rewards  which 
fhey  confer:  fighs  and  tears,  prayers  and  broken  hearts,  are 
ihe  offerings  which  are  paid  to  them. '    Addifon,  ibid. 

{  Gods  partial,  changeful,  paflionate,  unjuit ; 
Whofe  attributes  were  rage,  revenge,  or  lull.'  Pope. 

<  What  is  fweeter  than  honey  ?  and  what  is  ftronger  than 
a.  lion  ?' 

A  circumftance  of  importance,  though  no  more  than  an 
Imperfect  Phrafe,  may  be  fet  off  with  a  Comma  on  each  fide, 
to  give  it  greater  force  and  diftinction. 


Example* 


TO  ENGLISH   6RAMMAR.  IJJ 


Example* 

{  The  principle  may  be  defective  or  faulty ;  but  the  con- 
fequences  it  produces  are  fo  good,  that,  for  the  benefit  of 
mankind,  it  ought  not  to  be  extinguilhed.?     Addifon,-  ibid^ 

A  Member  of  a  fentence,  whether  Simple  or  Compounded,* 
that  requires  a  greater  paufe  than  a  Comma,  yet  does  not  of 
itfelf  make  a  complete  fentence,  but  is  followed  by  fomething: 
clofely  depending  on  it,  may  be  diilinguUhed  by  a  Semi-- 
colon. 

Ex  A  MP-LEv 

*  But  as  this  paffion  for  admiration,  when  it  works-  accord- 
ing to  reafon,  improves  the  beautiful  part  of  our  fpecies  in 
every  thing  that  is  laudable  ;  fo  nothing  is  more  deftrucYive 
to  then?*  when  it  is  governed  by  vanity  and  folly.  AddU- 
fon,  ibid*. 

Here  the- whole  fentence  is  divided  into  two  parts  by  the 
Semicolon  ;  each  of  which  parts  is  a  Compounded  Member, 
divided*  into  its  fimple  Members  by  a  Comma* 

A  Member  of  a  Sentence,  whether  Simple  or  compound- 
ed, which  of  itfelf  would  make  a  complete  fentence,  and  fo 
requires  a  greater  paufe  than  a  Semicolon,  yet  is  followed 
by  an  additional  part  making  a  more  full  and  perfect  fenfe, 
may  be  diftinguifiied  by  the  Colon. 

Ex  A  MPL  Ei 

Were  all  books  reduced  to  their  quinteffcnce,  many  a  bulky 
author  would  make  his  appearance  in  a  penny  paper :  there 
would  be  fcarce  any  fuch  thing  in  nature  as  a  folio:  the 
works  of  an  age  would  be  contained  on  a  few  (helves :  not 
to  mention  millions  of  volumes  that  would  be  utterly  aran* 
hilatedt  Addifon,  Spett.  No.  124* 
M- 


534 


A   SHORT  INTRODUCTION 


Here  the  whole  fentence  is  divided  into  four  parts  by  Co- 
lons ;  the  firfi  and  laft  of  which  are  Compounded  Members, 
each  divided  by  a  Comma ;  the  fecond  and  third  are  fimple 
Members. 

When  a  Semicolon  has  preceded,  and  a  greater  paufe  is 
flill  necefiary  ;  a  Colon  may  be  employed,  though  the  fen- 
tence be  incomplete. 

The  Colon  is  alfo  commonly  ufed,  when  an  example  or  a 
fpeech  is  introduced. 

When  a  fentence  is  fo  far  perfectly  finifhed,  as  not  to  be 
connected  in  conftruclioQ  with  the  following  fentence,  it  is. 
marked  with  a  Period. 

In  all  cafes,  the  proportion  of  the  feveral  Points  in  refpecY 
to  one  another,  is  rather  to  be  regarded,  than  their  fuppofed 
precife  quantity,  or  proper  office,  when  taken  feparately. 

Befide  the  Points  which  mark  the  paufes  in  difcourfe,' 
there  are  others  which  denote  a  different  modulation  of  the 
voice  in  correfpondence  with  the  fenfe-.  Thefe  are 

The  Interrogation  Point  "V  f  ? 

The  Exclamation  Point.  V  thus  marked  <  I 
The  Parenthefis  J  i.  (  ) 

The  Interrogation  and  Exclamation  Points  are  fufficiently 
explained  by  their  names  :  they  are.  indeterminate  as  to  their 
quantity  or  time,  and  may  be  equivalent  in  that  refpec"ltoa 
Semicolon,  a  Colon,  or  a  Period,  as,  the  fenfe  requires.^. 
They  mark  an  Elevation  of  the  Voice. 

The  Parenthefis  inclofes  in  the  body  of  a  fentence  a  .Mem- 
ber  inferted  into  it,  which  is  neither  necefiary  to  tke  fenfe, 
nor  at  all  afledls  the  GonflrucYian.  It  marks  a  moderate  de-- 
preflion  of  the  voice  with  a  paufe  greater  than  a  Comma.. 


A  PRAXIS; 


TO  ENGLISH  GRAMMAR. 


A  PRAXIS: 

o  R, 

EXAMPLE  of  GRAMMATICAL  RESOLUTION. 

IN  the  fifteenth  year  of  the  reign  of  Tiberius  Csfar,  Pon- 
tius  Pilate  being  Governor  of  Judea,  the  word  of  God 
came  unto  John  the  fon  of  Zacharius  in  the  Wildernefs. 

2.  And  he  came  into  all  the  country  about  Jordan  preach- 
ing the  baptifm  of  repentance  for  the  remiffion  of  fins. 

3.  And  the  fame  John  had  his  raiment  of  camel's  hair,  and 
a  leathern  girdle  about  his  loins,  and  his  meat  was  locuAsand 
wild  hone/. 

4.  Then  faid  he  to  the  multitude  that  came  forth  to  be 
baptized  of  him,  O  generation  of  vipers,  who  hath  warned 
you  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come?  Bring  forth  therefore 
fruits  meet  for  repentance. 

5.  And  as  all  men  mufedin  their  hearts  of  John,  whether 
he  were  the  Chrifr,  or  not ;  John  anfwered,  faying  unto  them 
all,  I  indeed  baptize  you  with  water  ;  but  one  mightier  than 
I  cometh,  the  latchet  of  whofe  fhoes  I  am  not  worthy  to 
imloofe :  he  (hall  baptize  you  with  the  Holy  Ghoft  and  with 
fire. 

6  Now  when  all  the  people  were  "baptized,  it  came  to 
pafs,  that,  Jefus  alfo  being  baptized  and  praying,  the  heaven 
was  opened,  and  the  Holy  Ghoft  defcended  in  a  bodily 
frnpe,  like  a  dove,  upon  him  ;  and  lo  !  a  voice  from  heaven 
faying,  This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am  welLpleafed. 

I.  In  is  a  Prepofition  ;  the  the  Definite  Article ;  fifteenth 
4an  AdjecYive  ;  year,  a  Subflantive,  or  Noun,  in  the  Object- 
ive Cafe,  governed  by  the  Prepofition  in  ;  of}  a  Prepofiti- 


A  SHORT   TNTROb ITCTION 


on  ;  the  Reign,  a  Subftantive,  Objective  Cafe,  governed  by 
the  Piepofition  of;  Tiberius  Ccsfar,  both  Subftantives, 
Proper  Names,  Government  and  Cafe  as  before  ;  Pontius 
Pilate,  Proper  Names  ;  being,  the  Prefent  Participle  of 
the  Verb  Neuter  to  be  ;  Governor,  a  Subftantive;  ofju- 
dea,  a  Proper  Name,  Government  and  Cafe  as  before  ;  Pon- 
tius  Pilate  bting  Governor^  is  the  Gafe  Abfolute,  that  is, 
the  Nominative  Gafe  with  a  Participle  without  a  Verb  fol- 
lowing and  agreeing  with  it ;  the  meaning  is  the  fame  -as, 
when  Pilate  was  governor ;  the  word,  a  Subftantive  ;  of 
God,  a -Subftantive,  Objective  Gafe,  governed  by  the  Piepc- 
fion  of;  came,  a  Verb  Neuter,  Indicative  Mode,  raft 
Time,  Third  Perfon,  Singular  Number,  agreeing  with  the 
Nominative  Cafe  word;  unto,  a  Prepofition  ;  John,  a  Pro- 
per Name ;  the  Son,  a  Subftantive,  put  In  Apportion  to 
John  ;  that  is,  in  the  fame  Cafe,  governed  by  the  fame 
Prepofition  unto;  of  Zcicharias,  a  Proper  Name;  in,  a 
Prepofnion  ;  the  Wilde rnefs,9  a  Subftantive,  Government 
and  Gafe  as  before. 

2.  And,  a  Conjunction  Copulative ;  he,  a  Pronoun^ 
*Third  Perfon  Singular,  Mafculine  Gender,  Nominative  Gafe, 
fending  for  John;  came,  as  before  ;  into,  a  Prepofition,; 
ell,  an  Adjective  ;  the  Country,  a 'Subftantive  ;  about,  a 
Prepofition  ;  Jordan,  a  Proper  Name  ,;  Objective  Cafes., 
governed  by  their  Prepofttions;  preaching,  the  Prefent  Par* 
.fciciple  of  the  Verb  Active  to  p reach,  joined  like  an  Adjec- 
tive to  the  Pronoun  he  ;  the  bdptifm,  a  Subftastive  in  the 
Objective  Cafe  following  the  Verb  Active  p reaching,  and 
governed  by  it ;  of  repentance,  a  Subft.  Government  and 
•Gafe  as  before  ;  for,  a  Prep-  tht  Remiffion  of  Sins,  Sub- 
ftantives, the  latter  in  the  Plural  Number,  Government  and 
.Cafe  as  before. 

3.  And,  (b.  that  is,  as  before  ;)  the  fame,  an  Adjec- 
tive ;  John;  (b)  had,  a  Verb  Active,  Indicative  Mode, 
Paft  Time,  Third  Perfon  Singular,  agreeing  with  the  Nomi- 
4ia$ive  Cafe  John  ;  his,  a  Pronoun,  Third  Perfon  Singular, 
-Pofleffive  Cafe  ;  Raiment,  a  Subftantive  in  the  Objective 
Cafe,  following  the  Verb  Active  had,  and  governed  by  it  ; 

camel's,  a  Subftantive,  Poffeffiye  Cafe  j  pair,  Subftaiv- 


TO  ENGLISH   GRAMMAR.  IJ7 

tive,  Objective  Cafe,  governed  by  the  Prepofition  of  the 
lame  as,  of  the  hair  of  a  camel  ;  and  ;  (b-)  a,  the  defi- 
nite Article  ;  leathern,  an  Adj.  girdle,  a  SuMu  about, 
(h.)  his  (h.)  /ow,  Subfr.  Plural  Number.,  Obje&tye  Gale, 
.governed  by  the  Prepofition  about  s  and  (b*)  meaty 
Subft.  was,  Indicative  ie,  Paft  Time,  Third  Perfon 
Singular,  of  the  Verb  Neuter  to  be  :  Tocu/ls,  Subftantive, 
Plural  Number,  Nominative  Gale  after  the  Verb  was  ;  and 
(b.)  wild)  Adjective  ;  honey,  Subflantive,  the  fame  Cafe. 

j  4«  Then,  an  Adveffe  ;  faid,  a  Verb  Active,  Pad  Time, 
Third  Perfon  Singular,  agreeing  with  the  Nominative  Cafe 
be  (b.)  to,  a  Prep,  the  multitude,  Subft.  Objective  Gafe, 
governed  by  the  Prep,  to  j  that,  a  Relative  Pronoun,  its 
Antecedent  is  the  multitude \;  came,  (b.)  forth,  -an  Ad- 
verb; -to,  a  Prep,  and'before  a  Verb  the  fign  of  the  Infini- 
tive Mode  ;  be  baptized,  a  Verb  Paffive,  made  of  the  Par- 
ticiple Paffive  of  the  Verb  to  baptize,  and  the  Auxiliary 
Verb  to  be,  in  the  Infinitive  Mode  ;  of  him,  Pronoun, 
Third  Perfon  Sing.  Handing  for  John,  in  the  Objective 
Cafe,  governed  by  the  Prep,  of  ;  0,  an  Interjection  ;  ge- 
neration, Subft.  Nominative  Cafe  ;  of  vipers,  Subft.  Plu- 
ral Number,  Objective  Cafe,  governed  by  the  Prepofition 
of;  who,  an  Interrogative  Pronoun  ;  bath  warned,  a  Verb 
A&ive,  Prefent  Perfect  Time,  made  of  the  Perfect  Parti- 
ciple warned,  and  .tire  Auxiliary  Verb  hath,  Third  Perfon 
Singular,  agreeing  with  the  Nominative  Cafe  who  ;  youf 
Pronoun,  Second  Perfon  Plural,  Objective  Gafe,  following 
the  Verb  Active  warned,  and  governed  by  it  :  to  fee, 
Verb  Neuter,  Infinitive  Mode from,  a  Prep,  the  wrath* 
Subft.  Objective  Cafe,  governed  by  the  Prep,  from  j  to 
come,  Verb  Neuter,  Infinitive  Mode  ;  bring,  Verb  Active, 
Imperative  Mode,  Second  Perfon  Plural,  agreeing  with  the 
Nominative  Cafe  j/e  underftoqd,  as  if  it  were,  bring  ye; 
forth,  an  Adverb  ;  therefore,  a  .Conjunction  ;  fruits,  a 
Subft.  Plural,  Objective  Cafe,  following  the  Verb  .Active 
bring,  and  governed  by  it  ;  meet,  an  Adjective,  joined  tp 
fruits,  but  placed  after  it,  becaufe  it  hath  fomething  depend- 
ing on  it  ;  for  repentance,  a  Subftantive,  governed  by  ft 
-PrepoQtion  aj>  before,, 


A   SHORT  INTRODUCTION' 

Hurrf  ^mb^rj  a  Verb  Neuter,  Paft  Time,  Third 

•  ?l\  L  agreeing  with  the  Nominative  Cafe  men  ; 
[V  *  Pronominal  /^djedivc,  from  the  Proittun 

tbey;  hearts,  Subft.  Plural  Number,  Objedive  Cafe,  crd 
yernedby  the  Prep,  in;  of  Job,,  (b.)  i&ffar,  a  Con- 
junction ;  be,  (b.)  were,  Subjundive  Mode,  governed  by 
the  ConiundHoti  <^^r,  Pail  Time,  Third  Perfcn  Sing. 
°A  U'A  -n  J°  be"  aSreeil-g  with  the  Nominative  Cafe  be; 
tbcLbrijl,  Subft.  Nominative  Cafe  after  the  Verb  wre; 
or,  a^Disjundive  Conjunction-,,  correfponding  to  the  oreced- 
ing  Conjunction  ivbelber;  not,  an  Adverb;  Joihf  (b.) 
^>er^,  a  Verb  Adive,  Indicative  Mode,  Paft  Time, 
i  bird  Perfon  Sing. agreeing  with  the  Nominative  Cafe  John; 
Jaytng,  Preient  Participle  of  the  Verb  Adive  to  fay,  join. 
^•t0,  r,e  ^antive  ««/o(b;)  ^em,  a  Pronoun, 

ihird  lerfon  Plural,  Object  e  Cafe,  governed  by  the  Pre- 
pohtion  unto  ;  all,  (b.)  /  Pronoun,  Firft  Perfon  Singular; 
weedy  an  Adverb;  baptize,  a  Verb  Adive,  Indicative 
Mode,  Prcfent  Time,  Firft  Perfon  Singular,  agreeing  with 
the  Nominative  Cafe  L;  you,   Pronoun,  Second  Perfon 
nuralj  Objedive  Cafe,  following  the  Verb  Adive  baptize, 
•and  governed  by  it;  with,  a  Prep,  water,  Subft.  Objedive 
Cale,  governed  by  the  Prepofition  with  ;  but,  a  Disjunct- 
ive Conjunction  ;  one,  a  Pronoun,  (landing  for  fome  Per- 
ion  n.Dt  mentioned  by  name  :  migbtier,  an  Adjedive  in  the 
Comparative  Degree,  from  the   Pofitiye  mighty;  than,* 
Conjunction,  ufed  after  a  Comparative  word ;  I,  (b.)  the 
verb  am  being  underftood,  that  i?,  lb  an  I  am;  cometb, 
a  Verb  Neuter,  Indicative  Mode,  Prefent  Time,  Third  Per- 
ion  Sing,  agreeing  with  the  Nominative  Cafe  one;  tbe 
iaicbet,  Subft.  of  (b.)  <wbpfe,  Pronoun  Relative,  one  be- 
ing the  Antecedent  to  it,  in  the  Poffeffive  Cafe  ;  Jhoes, 
Subft.  Plural,  Objedive  Cafe,  governed  by  the  Prepofition 
V  /  {5  (b.)  am,  Indicative  Mode,  Prefent  Time,  Firft  Per- 
son Sing,  of  the  Verb  to  be  ;  agreeing  with  the  Nominat- 
ive-Cafe I;  mt,(b.)  vortby,  an  Adjective  :  to  unloofe, 
a  Verb  Adive,  in  the  Infinitive  Mode,  governing  the  Sub* 
ftantive  latchet,  in  the  Objedive  Cafe  ;  he,  (b.)  Jball  bap- 
tize, a  Verb  Adive,  Indicative  Mode,  Future  Time,  made 
fry  the  Auxiliary  fmll,  Third  Perfon  Sing,  agreeing  witlj 


TO   ENGLISH   GRAMMAR.  1^9 

the  Nominative  Cafe  be  ;  you,  (b.)  with  tbe,  (b.)  Holy,. 
an  Adje&ive  ;  Gboft,  a  Subft.  and  wtb,  (i>.)  fire,  a  Sub- 
ftantive  ;  this  and  the  tl  rmer,  both  in  tli<3  Objective  Cafe^ 
governed  by  the  Prep,  with* 

6.  Now,  an  Adverb ;  nvben,  a  Conjunction ;  <3#,  (b.) 
tbe  people,  a  Subft.  tiere  baptized,  a  Veib  Paflive,  made 
of  the  Auxiliary  Verb  to  be,  joined  with  the  Participle  Paff- 
ive  of  the  Verb  to  baptize,  Indicative  Mode,  Pali  Time,, 
Third  Perfon  Plural,  agreeing  with  the  Nominative  Cafe 
Singular,  people,  being  a  Noun  of  multitude  ;  it,  Pronoun^ 
Third  Perfon  Singula'-,  Neuter  Gender,.  Nominative  dale  ;. 
Game,  (b.)  to  pafs>  Verb  Neuter,  Infinitive  Mode  ;  that,. 
a  Conjunction  ;  Jefus,  a  Proper  Name;  aljo,  an  Adverb; 
being,  Prefent  Participle  of  the  Verb  to  be  ;  bap- 
tized, Participle  Pajfive  cf  the  Verb.«ro  baptize  ;  and,  (b.) 
praying,  Prefent  Participle  of  the  Verb  Neuter  to  pray  % 
J  ejus  being  baptized  and  praying  is  the  Cafe  Abfolute, 
as  before  ;  tbe  heaven,  Subftantive  ;  was  opened,  Verb 
Paflive,  Indicative  Mood,  Paft  Time,  Third  perfon  Singu-. 
lar,  agreeing  with  the  Nominative  Cafe  heaven,  the  Aux- 
iliary Verb  to  be  being  joined  to  the  Participle  Paflive,  as 
before;  and  tbe  Holy  Gboft,  (b.)  descended,  Verb  Neu« 
ter,  Indicative  Mode,  Paft  Time,  Third  Perfon  Singular,, 
agreeing  with  the  Nominative  Cafe  Gboft;  in  a  (b.)  bodilyy 
an  Adjective  ;  ftjape,  a  Subftantive,  Objective  Cafe,  go- 
verned by  the  Prepofition  in  ;  lik^  an  Adjective  ;  a  dove,., 
a  Subftantive,  Objective  Cafe,  the  Prepofition  to  being  un- 
derflood,  that  is,  like  to  a  dove ;  upon,  Prepofition  ;  bim, 
Pronoun,  Third  Perfon  Singular,'  Objective  Cafe,  governed 
by  the  Prepofition  upon  ;  and  (b.)  h,  an  Interjection  ;  a 
voice,  Subftantive,  Nominative  Cafe,  there  was  being  un- 
derflood,  that  is,  thete  was  a  voice  ;  from,  Prepofition;; 
heaven,  Subftantive,  Objective  Cafe  (b.)  faying,  (b.J  this, 
a  Pronominal  Adjective,  perfon  being  underftood  ;  is,  In- 
dicative Mode,  Prefent  Time,  of  the  Verb  to  be,  Third 
Perfon  Singular,  agreeing  with  the  Nominative  Cafe  this; 
my,  a  Pronominal  Adjective  ;  beloved,  an  Adjective  ;  Son^ 
a  Subftantive,  Nominative  Cafe  afteF  the  Verb  is  ;  in,  (b.)- 
whom*  Pronoun  Relative,  Objective  Cafe,  governed  by  the 


140  A   SHORT   INTRODUCTION,  &C. 

Prepofition  in,  the  Subftantive  Son  being  its  Antecedent; 
lam,  (b.)  nvell)  an  Adverb  ;  pleafcd^  the  Paflive  Partici- 
ple of  the  Verb  to  pleafe,  making  with  the  Auxiliary  Verb 
am,  a  Paflive  Verb,  in  the  Indicative  Mode,  Pre  tent  Time, 
Full  Perfon  Singular,. agreeing  with  the  Nominative  Cafe  I* 


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